The Effect of Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles (nZVI) on Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages are viruses that attack and usually kill bacteria. Their appearance in the industrial facilities using bacteria to produce active compounds (e.g., drugs, food, cosmetics, etc.) causes considerable financial losses. Instances of bacteriophage resistance towards disinfectants and decontamination procedures (such as thermal inactivation and photocatalysis) have been reported. There is a pressing need to explore new ways of phage inactivation that are environmentally neutral, inexpensive, and more efficient. Here, we study the effect of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) on four different bacteriophages (T4, T7, MS2, M13). The reduction of plaque-forming units (PFU) per mL varies from greater than 7log to around 0.5log depending on bacteriophages (M13 and T7, respectively). A comparison of the importance of oxidation of nZVI versus the release of Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ions is shown. The mechanism of action is proposed in connection to redox reactions, adsorption of virions on nZVI, and the effect of released iron ions. The nZVI constitutes a critical addition to available antiphagents (i.e., anti-bacteriophage agents).