Surface modifications of graphitic carbon nitride with metal particles and polymer blend as antibacterial and dye...

In this study, novel dual-function composite was developed to remove dye and inhibit the growth of bacteria. In short, a metal oxide zinc oxide particles (ZnOP), copper oxide particles (CuOP), nickel oxide particles (NiOP), and zinc/nickel/copper oxide particles (ZNC) which has the average size (obtained from FE-SEM) of 165.8 ± 31.1, 117.3 ± 36.0, 97.0 ± 29.3, 108.3 ± 73.4 nm, respectively was modified with a polymer blend (M8F), consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄). The composite that can inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) while can remove the most methylene blue (MB), malachite green (MG), and Congo red (CR) is ZNC/M8F/g-C₃N₄. Additionally, ZnO/M8F/g-C₃N₄ can be used as dual-function composite to remove methyl orange (MO) and inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (SA). In the case of Salmonella enterica (SE), none of the materials can inhibit at least 50% of the bacteria. Additionally, none of the materials can kill SA, PA, and SE. Hence, ZNC/M8F/g-C₃N₄ and ZnO/M8F/g-C₃N₄ must be further modified to remove all of the metioned dye and inhibit the growth of mentioned bacteria better. The dye removing and bacteria growth inhibition experiments were done using adsorption and minimum inhibition concentration method.