The antibacterial activity of photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) thin films with photodeposited silver on the surface of sanitary ware was studied. Samples were prepared by coating a TiO 2 sol that was calcined at 8801-9801C and photodeposited with silver ions onto the glazed layer of the sanitary ware. The relationships between the antibacterial activity and the fabrication conditions were investigated by X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and colorimetry. The phase of TiO 2 identified in the thin films was a mixture of anatase and rutile. The amount of rutile phase increased as the calcination temperature increased, and grain growth of the TiO 2 particles was observed. The activity was dependent on the TiO 2 thickness, the calcination temperature, and the amount of silver. These results suggest that the antibacterial activity was strongly affected by the amount of anatase in the thin films. 9801C for 1 h in a muffle furnace (Model FP-31, Yamato Science Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan). Sample tiles with a TiO 2 thin-film coating on the glaze were obtained.
95J ournal
The staphylococcal Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes [lukS-PV-lukF-PV] existed in a hexagonal phage-like particle (phi PVL) isolated from mitomycin C-induced Staphylococcus aureus V8 (ATCC 49775). The genome packed in phi PVL was a linear double-stranded 40-kb DNA with single-stranded cohesive ends (cos). The [lukS-PV-lukS-PV], attP, and int (integrase gene) of phi PVL were all located very close to one another within a 4.0 kb-segment on the genome in the order given, and the segment is located at the center from the left and the right cos sites. In addition, the [lukS-PV-lukF-PV]-attP-int region contains 5 direct repeat sequences that show high similarity with the recombinase-binding sites of bacteriophages of S. aureus.
The amounts of volatile substances responsible for the malodor of human waste (feces and urine) obtained from the storage tank of a community waste-water treatment plant were determined. Thus far, there has been little systematic research on malodor-causing substances of human waste. These substances were collected using Tenax-TA, and their concentrations were determined by the usual thermal-desorption coldtrap injector/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TCT/GC/MS). About 90% of the malodor-causing substances were fatty acids: acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. The proportion of ammonia was 6.5%. Other malodor-causing and minor substances detected were indole, skatole, pyridine, pyrrole, hydrogen sulfide, and methyl mercaptan. In addition, a small amount of paradichlorobenzene used as a deodorizer in household toilets was also recognized.
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