Photocatalytic and antibacterial properties of H₂O₂-sensitized TiO₂
Abstract
The search for advanced and safe approaches to combat pathogens is a serious concern for public health protection. Titanium dioxide is known for its efficacy in self-cleaning and self-sterilization against viruses, fungi, and bacteria. TiO2 is activated by UV light and relies on the limited UV content in the solar spectrum (~4%) and is impractical indoors where UV is filtered by glass or must be activated by artificial lighting causing potential human health risks. In this study to enable activation using visible light, the production of titania contained its treatment with hydrogen peroxide. The modified route of the synthesis introduced changes of titanium dioxide in the electronic (narrowing the band gap) and chemical structure (by introducing additional oxygen (peroxide and superoxide) groups). Then, H2O2-sensitized TiO2 was used to decompose methylene blue which displayed its efficiency when activated by the visible light but also in the absence of irradiation. The potential of H2O2-sensitized TiO2 against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) species, chosen for their clinical relevance, was also tested. The results shows that oxidative behaviour of H2O2-sensitized TiO2 holds promise not only for visible light photocatalyst but also for continuous cleaning processes carried out in the dark, particularly in medical settings, where certain bacteria may persist under photocatalytic conditions and recover in the absence of light. Hence, this research follows the trend of innovative strategies in medical sanitation and in-fection control.
