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Harnessing the photocatalytic potential of bismuth ferrite-activated carbon nanocomposite (BFO-AC) for Staphylococcus aureus decontamination under visible light

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Abstract

In response to the escalating global issue of microbial contamination, this study introduces a breakthrough photocatalyst: bismuth ferrite-activated carbon (BFO-AC) for visible light-driven disinfection, specifically targeting the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Employing an ultrasonication method, we synthesized various BFO-AC ratios and subjected them to comprehensive characterization. Remarkably, the bismuth ferrite-activated carbon 1:1.5 ratio (BA 1:1.5) nanocomposite exhibited the narrowest band gap of 1.86 eV. Notably, BA (1:1.5) demonstrated an exceptional BET surface area of 862.99 m2/g, a remarkable improvement compared to pristine BFO with only 27.61 m2/g. Further investigation through FE-SEM unveiled the presence of BFO nanoparticles on the activated carbon surface. Crucially, the photocatalytic efficacy of BA (1:1.5) towards S. aureus reached its zenith, achieving complete inactivation in just 60 min. TEM analysis revealed severe damage and rupture of bacterial cells, affirming the potent disinfection capabilities of BA (1:1.5). This exceptional disinfection efficiency underscores the promising potential of BA (1:1.5) for the treatment of contaminated water sources. Importantly, our results underscore the enhanced photocatalytic performance with an increased content of activated carbon, suggesting a promising avenue for more effective microorganism inactivation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely appreciate the diverse funding contributions, including support from the Ministry of Higher Education under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2023/STG05/UTM/02/2), Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS, JPMJSA2203) by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education under the SATREPS program (R.J130000.7846.4L976).

Funding

Financial support was from Ministry of Higher Education under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2023/STG05/UTM/02/2).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    Nur Atiqah Daub, Farhana Aziz, Juhana Jaafar, Norhaniza Yusof, Wan Norharyati Wan Salleh & Ahmad Fauzi Ismail

  2. Chemistry Department, College of Education, University of Sulaimany, 46001, Sulaimani, Kurdistan, Iraq

    Shakhawan Ahmad Mhamad

  3. Faculty Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Dayang Norafizan Awang Chee

Authors
  1. Nur Atiqah Daub
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  2. Farhana Aziz
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  3. Shakhawan Ahmad Mhamad
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  4. Dayang Norafizan Awang Chee
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  5. Juhana Jaafar
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  6. Norhaniza Yusof
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  7. Wan Norharyati Wan Salleh
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  8. Ahmad Fauzi Ismail
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Contributions

Conceptualization, Farhana Aziz; writing—original draft preparation, Nur Atiqah Daub; writing—review and editing, Farhana Aziz, Shakhawan Ahmad Mhamad and Dayang Norafizan Awang Chee; supervision, Farhana Aziz and Juhana Jaafar; project administration, Norhaniza Yusof, Wan Norharyati Wan Salleh, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail; funding acquisition, Farhana Aziz. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Farhana Aziz.

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Daub, N.A., Aziz, F., Mhamad, S.A. et al. Harnessing the photocatalytic potential of bismuth ferrite-activated carbon nanocomposite (BFO-AC) for Staphylococcus aureus decontamination under visible light. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 16629–16641 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32261-w

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