title: Preparation, characterization and antibacterial properties of ZnO/kaoline nanocomposites.
abstract: This paper describes laboratory preparation, characterization and antibacterial activity testing of ZnO/kaoline composites. ZnO/kaoline composites with 50 wt.% of ZnO were laboratory prepared, dried at 105 °C and calcined at 500 °C. XRPD analysis revealed that thermal treatment caused the phase transformation of Zn containing precursor into ZnO. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques were used for characterization of morphology of the prepared samples. A standard microdilution test was used for evaluation of antibacterial activity using four common human pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Daylight was used for induction photocatalytically based antibacterial activity. Second possible explanation of antibacterial activity of ZnO/kaoline could be the presence of biologically available forms of zinc. During the antibacterial activity assays the ZnO/kaoline composites exhibited antibacterial activity, where differences in an onset of the antibacterial activity and activity against bacterial strains were observed. The highest antibacterial activity was observed against S. aureus, where the lowest value of minimum inhibitory concentration was determined equal to 0.41 mg/ml.
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Centre, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic. Electronic address: katerina.dedkova@vsb.cz.
authors.forename: Kateřina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dědková
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Centre, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Janíková
authors.affiliation: AGEL laboratory, Zalužanského 1192/15, 703 84 Ostrava-Vítkovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kateřina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matějová
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Centre, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic; IT4Innovations Centre of Excellence, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 70833 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Pavlína
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peikertová
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Centre, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neuwirthová
authors.affiliation: Department of Material Engineering, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holešinský
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Centre, VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava-Poruba, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kukutschová
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002384:Catalysis; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D007616:Kaolin / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007616:Kaolin; D015034:Zinc Oxide