Bacteria accumulate copper ions and inhibit oxide formation on copper surface during antibacterial efficiency test

• Published in: Micron (Oxford, England : 1993) Vol. 127; p. 102759
• Main Authors: Luo, Jiaqi, Hein, Christina, Ghanbaja, Jaafar, Pierson, Jean-François, Mücklich, Frank
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2019; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemical Sciences; Copper; Copper - chemistry; Corrosion; E. coli; EDS; Escherichia coli - metabolism; ICP-MS; Ions; Life Sciences; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Surface Properties; Ions; Oxidation; ICP-MS; Copper; EDS; E. coli
• ISSN: 0968-4328; 1878-4291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2019.102759

[Display omitted] •Copper corrosion behaviours in PBS and with E. coli addition were compared.•Localised corrosion was observed with SEM in E. coli PBS treated copper.•Continuous release of copper within 3 h in E. coli PBS suspension.•Accumulation of copper in E. coli as a function of time confirmed by ICP-MS & EDS.•Copper phosphate sub-micron particles grew around outside the bacteria. Copper surface after antibacterial test against E. coli was examined in the aspect of corrosion. Results from scanning electron microscope (SEM), grazing incidence X-ray diffractometer (GIXRD) and Raman spectroscopy together confirmed less oxidation on copper surface with the presence of E. coli. The inhibition of the cuprous oxide (Cu2O) layer instead ensured the continuous exposure of copper surface, letting localised corrosion attacks observable and causing a stronger release of copper ions. These phenomena are attributed to the fact that E. coli act as ions reservoirs since high amount of copper accumulation were found by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).