Zinc oxide nanorod mediated visible light photoinactivation of model microbes in water

The inactivation of model microbes in aqueous matrix by visible light photocatalysis as mediated by ZnO nanorods was investigated. ZnO nanorods were grown on glass substrate following a hydrothermal route and employed in the inactivation of gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Bacillus subtilis in MilliQ water. The concentration of Zn2+ ions in the aqueous matrix, bacterial cell membrane damage, and DNA degradation at post-exposure were also studied. The inactivation efficiencies for both organisms under light conditions were about two times higher than under dark conditions across the cell concentrations assayed. Anomalies in supernatant Zn2+ concentration were observed under both conditions as compared to control treatments, while cell membrane damage and DNA degradation were observed only under light conditions. Inactivation under dark conditions was hence attributed to the bactericidal effect of Zn2+ ions, while inactivation under light conditions was due to the combined effects of Zn2+ ions and photocatalytically mediated electron injection. The reduction of pathogenic bacterial densities by the photocatalytically active ZnO nanorods in the presence of visible light implies potential ex situ application in water decontamination at ambient conditions under sunlight.