Past-expiration-date liquid disinfectants to deactivate biological and chemical toxins on building material surfaces.

In this study, we evaluated the deactivating efficacy of strong basicity-based (T4-102) and hydrogen peroxide-based (DF-200) disinfectants that were past their expiration date when used to deactivate biological and chemical toxins on building material surfaces. The decontamination efficacies of DF-200 and T4-102 disinfectants against dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) and 2-chloroethyl ethylsulfide (2-CEES) were studied using GC-MS analysis. The bactericidal efficacies of disinfectants against Gram-negative E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and Gram-positive B. subtilis and S. aureus, were assessed in terms of the zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The results indicated that the deactivation efficacy varied significantly according to the disinfectant amount, contact time, and building material. Higher efficacy of up to 99-100% was observed for biological toxins, despite passing their expiration dates. Approximately 70-78% of deactivation efficacies were observed for disinfectants against DMMP on the tile coupon at 100 µL and 24 h contact time. Moreover, the deactivation efficacy of DF-200 was better than that of T4-102. The data presented here demonstrate that the responders may use past-expiration-date disinfectants for efficacious disinfectaion in large-scale contamination incidents.

Flexible SERS substrate of silver nanoparticles on cotton swabs for rapid in situ detection of melamine.

It is important to be able to detect melamine via a sensitive and fast method in the field of food safety. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has attracted much attention due to its high sensitivity, rapid results, unique spectroscopic fingerprint, and nondestructive data acquisition. In this work, we describe the preparation of flexible CS-ATS-Ag cotton swabs for use in SERS by anchoring silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), as a highly-sensitive SERS material, on cotton swabs (CS) using N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl] diethylenetriamine (ATS) as the coupling agent. The flexible CS-ATS-Ag cotton swabs exhibited high SERS sensitivity, uniformity and reproducibility as a melamine molecule probe, and the limit of detection was calculated to be 0.2 ppm. A high SERS signal reproducibility was achieved, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the melamine peak at 699 cm-1 was approximately 5.01%. Moreover, we successfully developed Chemical analysis App application software; a smartphone was used to convert data and record the results, then the data were geotagged using the GPS feature in the smartphone and uploaded to a central website. The goal of realizing instant transmission, timely processing, high sensitivity, portability and low cost was therefore achieved.

Antibacterial Activity of Surface-Modified Fabric with Ag/AgCl-Doped Quaternary Ammonium-Modified Silicate Hybrid.

An organic-inorganic hybrid antibacterial material based on Ag/AgCl and quaternary ammoniummodified silicate (Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-)) was prepared by sol-gel processes and an in situ reduction method, in which silver nitrate, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), N-trimethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,Ntrimethylammonium chloride (TMAPS) and N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]diethylenetriamine (ATS) acted as precursor, linker and colloidal suspension stabilizer, respectively. The physical properties of the Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-) and Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-)/Ag hybrids were examined using XPS and TGA spectroscopy, the results of which indicated that Ag/AgCl was immobilized in channels by dipolar interactions with the Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-) matrix. Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-) and Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-)/Ag sol solutions were used to functionalize non-woven fabrics by simply immersing the textiles into the dispersions in order to obtain antimicrobial fabrics. The antibacterial effects of the Ormosil/Ag- and Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-)/Ag-modified fabrics against Gram-negative P. aeruginosa and E. coli, and Grampositive S. aureus and B. subtilis, were assessed using the zone of inhibition and the plate-counting method. The antibacterial efficacy was maintained even after 20 laundry cycles. The results indicated that the Ormosil/Ag and Ormosil (NR+4 Cl-)/Ag hybrids are useful as non-leaching agents imparting durable antimicrobial properties to fabrics.

Evaluation and efficacy of metal oxides in terms of antibacterial activity and toxic chemical degradation.

Inorganic metal oxides Ag2O, CuO and ZnO were examined using SEM, XRD, TGA and ICP spectroscopy to analyze their structures and physical properties in terms of resistance to germs and toxic chemicals. Zone of inhibition testing and the plate-counting method were used in this study to examine the antibacterial activities of the metal oxides against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis). Furthermore, 2­chloro­ethyl ethyl sulfide (2­CEES) was used to study the degradation efficacy of the metal oxides by the NMR method. The objective of the study was to develop and evaluate metal oxides that are able to protect against chemical and biological warfare agents. Excellent antibacterial and catalytic toxic chemical degradation properties were obtained.

Preparation and characterization of expanded graphite/metal oxides for antimicrobial application.

Composite materials based on expanded graphite (EG) and metal oxide (MO) particles was prepared by an explosive combustion and blending method. The objective of the study was to develop EG impregnated with metal oxide particulates (Ag2O, CuO and ZnO) and evaluate the level of protection the materials conferred against biological agents. The physical properties of the EG/MO composites were examined using SEM, EDX and XRD spectroscopy, and the results indicated that the MO particles were incorporated into the EG matrix after impregnation. The antimicrobial activities of the EG/MO composites against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and Bacillus anthracis were investigated using zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and plate-counting methods. EG/Ag2O exhibited a stronger antibacterial activity than EG/CuO and EG/ZnO, with a MIC of 0.3mg/mL and a MBC of 0.5mg/mL. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have demonstrated that EG/MO composites can inhibit the growth of Bacillus anthracis-adhered cells, thus preventing the process of biofilm formation. Nanoscale metal oxides display enhanced reactive properties toward bacteria due to their high surface area, large number of highly reactive edges, corner defect sites and high surface to volume ratio.

Computational study of decomposition mechanisms and thermodynamic properties of molecular-type cracking patterns for the highly energetic molecule GZT.

This study uses the Gaussian 03 program and density functional theory B3LYP with three basis set methods-[B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31+G(2d,p), and B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)]-to model the highly energetic ionic compound diguanidinium 5,5'-azotetrazolate (GZT) to research its decomposition mechanisms and thermodynamic properties. Molecular-type cracking patterns are proposed, which were initiated by heterocyclic ring opening, sequential cracking of the two five-membered rings of GZT, and simultaneous release of N2 molecules; whereas proton transfer, bond-breaking, and atomic rearrangements were performed subsequently. Finally, 15 reaction paths and five transition states were obtained. All possible decomposition species and transition states, including intermediates and products, were identified, and their corresponding enthalpy and Gibbs free energy values were obtained. The results revealed that (1) the maximum activation energy required is 187.8 kJ mol(-1), and the enthalpy change (ΔH) and Gibbs free-energy change (ΔG) of the net reaction are -525.1 kJ mol(-1) and -935.6 kJ mol(-1), respectively; (2) GZT can release large amounts of energy, the main contribution being from the disintegration of the 5,5'-azotetrazolate anion (ZT(2-)) skeleton (ΔH = -598.3 kJ mol(-1)); and (3) the final products contained major amounts of N2 gas, but remaining gas molecules such as HCN and NH3 were obtained, which are in agreement with experimental results. The detailed decomposition simulation results demonstrated the feasibility of this method to calculate the energies of the thermodynamic reactions for the highly energetic GZT and predict the most feasible pathways and the final products.