Bactericidal Activity of Graphene Oxide Tests for Selected Microorganisms

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Microbiology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Graphene oxide (GO) is a novel nanomaterial with potential biomedical applications.
• Understanding its antimicrobial efficacy against various bacterial species is crucial for developing new antibacterial strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bactericidal potential of graphene oxide (GO).
• To evaluate the impact of GO concentration and incubation time on bacterial viability.
• To compare the antimicrobial activity of GO against four different bacterial species: E. coli, S. mutans, S. aureus, and E. faecalis.

Main Methods:

• Bacterial cell suspensions were incubated with varying concentrations of GO (50-500 μg/mL) for different time points (5-60 min).
• Live/dead staining was employed to assess bacterial viability.
• Flow cytometry (BD Accuri C6) and specialized software (BD CSampler) were used for data acquisition and analysis.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in bacterial viability was observed across all tested GO concentrations and incubation times.
• Antibacterial activity was dose-dependent and time-dependent, with higher efficacy at 300 and 500 μg/mL GO.
• E. coli demonstrated the highest susceptibility to GO, with mortality rates reaching 96% at 500 μg/mL after 60 min.
• S. aureus showed lower susceptibility, with mortality rates of 55% at 500 μg/mL after 60 min.

Conclusions:

• Graphene oxide possesses notable bactericidal properties against Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (S. aureus, S. mutans, E. faecalis) bacteria.
• The efficacy of GO as an antimicrobial agent is significantly influenced by its concentration and the duration of exposure.
• GO demonstrates potential for use in antimicrobial applications, with varying effectiveness depending on the bacterial species.