An in-vitro study of antibacterial, cytocompatibility and physicochemical properties of nanoarchitecture TiO2-ZnO

Abstract

Background: "Across the globe, the persistent and escalating problem of infections spreading in healthcare settings is driven by the increasing resistance of microbes to disinfectants and antibiotics. Among the most alluring technologies to combat this issue are self-cleaning and disinfecting solutions, particularly for use in hospitals, operating rooms, buildings, and even on glass windows." A nanoarchitecture TiO2-ZnO was synthesized using a sol-gel and peptization method for photocatalytic antibacterial applications. The resultant TiO2-ZnO exhibited a spherical morphology, encompassing particles with a size below 10 nm. The XRD spectrum and the distinct particle boundaries, displays the good crystalline quality of the particles with anatase and wurtzite phase. The nanoarchitecture TiO2-ZnO solution exhibits excellent stability (65 mV) over an extended period of 24 months. The antibacterial characteristic of the nanoarchitecture TiO2-ZnO were tested using clinical strains of K. pneumoniae (ESBL), E. coli (CRE), E. coli (ESBL), E. faecium (VRE), P. aeruginosa (MDR), A. baumanii (MDR), and K. pneumoniae (CRE). The structural characteristic contributes to a high active surface area for photocatalytic reactions, possessing 99.9% disinfectant of all clinical bacterial strain's colonies in 5 minutes exposure time except E. coli strains (CRE and ESBL) which took 30 minutes. The cytocompatibility profile test MTT, clonogenicity and cell proliferation assay were performed using either L929 mouse fibroblasts and V79 cell demonstrated an absence of cytotoxic effects, underscoring the nanostructure's safety features. Given its high antibacterial properties coupled with its non-cytotoxic nature, the nanoarchitecture TiO2-ZnO emerges as a highly promising candidate for a disinfectant coating material for healthcare segments.