The resistance of pathogenic bacteria toward traditional
biocidal
treatment methods is a growing concern in various settings, including
that of water treatment and in the medical industry. As such, advanced
antibacterial technologies are needed to prevent infections, against
which current antibiotics are failing. This study introduces copper
oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) doped in graphene oxide (GO) as a potential
pathogenic bacterial treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate
the antibacterial properties of the GO–CuONP hybridized material
against pathogenic Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 (E. coli) and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC
14028 (S. typhimurium). GO was synthesized using
a modified Hummer’s method and doped with 40% w/w CuONPs using
a series of thermal chemical reactions. The resulting hybrids were
then characterized using scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and spectroscopic
studies. These studies revealed that the hybrid material was considerably
altered by the inclusion of CuONPs. The live and dead bacteria attached
to the GO–CuONP material were detected using confocal laser
scanning microscopy (CLSM). The antibacterial activity assay of the
GO–CuONP material was conducted using a standard plate count
method. Importantly, the GO–CuONP nanocomposite was determined
to be an effective antibacterial nanomaterial, significantly inhibiting
the growth of both E. coli and S. typhimurium bacteria compared to that observed on the pristine GO material.
This study suggests that GO–CuONP composites are a promising
high-efficacy antibacterial nanomaterial.