Effect of copper and eucalyptol on the bactericidal activity of ZnAl- and MgAl-LDH clays

Abstract

Pathogenic bacteria contamination can cause a serious hazard to human health. The use of bactericidal materials, such as layered double hydroxides (LDH), might constitute a way of reducing the risk of diseases. In this work, novel hybrid-LDH compounds were synthesized by integrating eucalyptol and copper in ZnAl-and MgAl-LDH materials to promote the biocidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The addition of copper to LDH clays significantly enhance the bactericidal activity, with MIC values as low as 0.5 mg/mL for S. aureus and 8.0 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa, while eucalyptol scarcely contributed to the biocidal efficiency.