Anti-bacterial properties of CuO particles coated on textile

Abstract

Background: Increased antimicrobial resistance suggests to develop new alternatives for antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis with the aim to reduce the usage of antibiotics. Nano- and larger particles of different metals are already used for enhancing of physical, chemical and biological properties of different types of textiles, however, their antimicrobial effect is inequal and depends on various factors. Aim(s): The aim of this study was to determine the dependence between the time of textile coating by CuO particles and antimicrobial effect. Results: Data showed that antimicrobial effect of textile coated by CuO particles depends on the time of CuO deposition on the textile. The deposition time of at least 30 minutes was enough to kill all bacteria when 0.5McFarland density suspensions of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were inoculated directly on the textile and kept for 20 minutes. The shortest time of metal oxide deposition on textile (15 minutes) was able to kill more than 70% of all the bacteria tested. Conclusion: textile coated with CuO particles demonstrated excellent antimicrobial properties when the time of textile coating was appropriate i.e., at least 30 minutes. Antimicrobial properties of CuO can be used for various practical applications for example, for the development of surgery masks with ability to kill bacteria i.e. for safety increasing between doctor and patient.