Activated carbon (AC) has long been utilized in biomedical applications due to its innate antimicrobial characteristics. However, little is understood about the mechanism of action that allows AC to prohibit the propagation of different pathogen species. To further ascertain these characteristics and how they affect the propagation of pathogens, procedures were designed with bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents which were utilized in conjunction with hydrogels to examine the efficacy of AC. The developed procedures analyzed AC’s ability to limit or prohibit the propagation of pathogens both with and without the presence of hydrogels through qualitative and quantitative measurements. These studies were conducted employing coconut-based AC and Polycarbophil or Carbopol 974P hydrogels which, when introduced to bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents, limited their activity. Experiments evaluated a series of bacterial dilutions with E. coli and S. aureus, bacteriophage (viral) dilutions with T1 and Φ11 bacteriophages, and Euglena Gracilis (parasite) dilutions using the AC and hydrogels listed above. Results were compared and examined through graphical analysis. When treated with AC, it was observed that all studied pathogens had a significant reduction of activity and propagation overall and that the presence of the hydrogel did not impede the antimicrobial characteristics of AC at certain concentrations. However, until the surface chemistry, porosity, and electrostatic interaction of the AC are determined, it can only be assumed that it interacts with the pathogens through adsorption.

Investigating the antimicrobial properties of activated carbon and the effect of polymer hydrogels through the utilization of bacterial, viral, and parasitic microorganisms

ACS Spring 2022

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