title: Application of air ions for bacterial de-colonization in air filters contaminated by aerosolized bacteria.
abstract: We aerosolized the Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) bacteria and collected them on membrane filters. Then we generated air ions by applying a high voltage to a carbon fiber tip and applied them to the contaminated filters. The antibacterial efficiency was not significantly affected by the bacteria being Gram-positive or Gram-negative, however, negative ions showed a lower antibacterial efficiency than positive ions to both E. coli and S. epidermidis, even though the concentration of negative air ions was much higher than that of positive air ions. With a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images and fluorescence microscopy images using a LIVE/DEAD BacLight Bacterial Viability Kit, electrostatic disruption of the bacteria was found to be the dominant antibacterial effect.
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 262 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. rup2r@yonsei.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yang Seon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jae Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jungho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000390:Air Ionization; D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007477:Ions