Photocatalytic oxidation of bacteria, bacterial and fungal spores

[Guest guest]

Some time ago it was questioned how photo energy from a 38 watt light bulb could cause germs, that is, bacteria and viruses, to degrade into carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Might the answer be gleaned from the report summary below?

Ken

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Photocatalytic oxidation of bacteria, bacterial and fungal spores, and model biofilm components to carbon dioxide on titanium dioxide-coated surfaces.

Environ Sci Technol. 2002; 36(15):3412-9 (ISSN: 0013-936X)

Wolfrum EJ; Huang J; Blake DM; Maness PC; Huang Z; Fiest J; y WANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA.

We report carbon mass balance and kinetic data for the total oxidation of cells, spores, and biomolecules deposited on illuminated titanium dioxide surfaces in contact with air. Carbon dioxide formation by photocatalytic oxidation of methanol, glucose, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis (cells and spores), Aspergillus niger spores, phosphatidylethanolamine, bovine serum albumin, and gum xanthan was determined as a function of time. The quantitative data provide mass balance and rate information for removal of these materials from a photocatalytic surface. This kind of information is important for applications of photocatalytic chemistry in air and water purification and disinfection, self-cleaning surfaces, and the development of self-cleaning air filters.