Inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms in the photocatalytic process on nanosized TiO₂ crystals

The kinetics of the photocatalytic oxidation of E. coli gram-negative bacteria and the basic components of the cell wall membrane (LPS, PE, and PGN) on a porous film composed of TiO2 nanoparticles was studied using frustrated total internal reflection FTIR spectroscopy. Structural changes in the cell wall membrane at the initial stage of cell oxidation were revealed. It was demonstrated that the cell’s organic material is photocatalytically oxidized in such a manner that the TiO2 surface is cleaned. Laser photolysis experiments demonstrated that the organic material of the cell wall membrane reduces holes in the valence band of TiO2.