We report the novel concept of photochemical sterilization. Microbial cells were killed photoelectrochemically with semiconductor powder (platinum‐loaded titanium oxide, TiO2/Pt). Coenzyme A, (CoA) in the whole cells was photo‐electrochemically oxidized and, as a result, the respiration of cells was inhibited. Inhibition of respiratory activity caused death of the cells. Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli (103 cells/ml respectively) were completely sterilized when they were incubated with TiO2/Pt particles under metal halide lamp irradiation for 60–120 min.
We report a novel photochemical sterilization system in which Escherichia coli cells were sterilized with photosemiconductor powders (titanium oxide). For sterilization that could be used in practice, it was necessary to separate the TiO2 powders from the cell suspension. Therefore, semiconductor powders were immobilized on acetylcellulose membranes. We constructed a continuous-sterilization system consisting of a TiO2immobilized acetylcellulose membrane reactor, a mercury lamp, and a masterflex pump. As a result, under the various sterilization conditions examined, E. coli (102 cells per ml) was sterilized to <1% survival when the cell suspension flowed in this system at a mean residence time of 16.0 min under irradiation (1,800
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.