To examine the special features of the antibacterial effect
for a thin transparent titanium dioxide (TiO2) film,
the
photocatalytic degradation of endotoxin, which is a
pyrogenic
constituent of Escherichia coli (E. coli), as well as
its
bactericidal activity, was investigated. The TiO2
films were
prepared from titanium isopropoxide solution, annealing
at 500 °C. The bactericidal activity for E. coli
cells was
estimated by survival ratio calculated from the number
of viable cells which form colonies on the nutrient agar
plates. The endotoxin concentration was determined by
the Limulus tests. When E. coli cells were
killed by the TiO2
photocatalyst under UV irradiation, the endotoxin from
the cells was also degraded efficiently. This result
shows
that the TiO2 photocatalyst has both bactericidal
activity
and decomposing activity for the endotoxin (i.e.,
detoxifying activity). The bactericidal effect of the
TiO2
thin film results from both inactivating the viability of
the
bacteria and the destruction of the E. coli cells.
This
feature renders TiO2 photocatalysts to be applicable
to
environmental protections, especially in medical
facilities
where the endotoxin is needed to control.