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Synergistic Interactions of Cadmium-free Quantum Dots Embedded in a Photosensitised Polymer Surface: Efficient Killing of Multidrug-Resistant Strains at Low Ambient Light Levels

Owusu, EGA; Yaghini, E; Naasani, I; Parkin, IP; Allan, E; MacRobert, S; (2020) Synergistic Interactions of Cadmium-free Quantum Dots Embedded in a Photosensitised Polymer Surface: Efficient Killing of Multidrug-Resistant Strains at Low Ambient Light Levels. Nanoscale 10.1039/c9nr10421f. (In press). Green open access

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Abstract

Cadmium-free quantum dots (QD) were combined with crystal violet photosensitising dye and incorporated into medical grade polyurethane via a non-covalent dipping process known as ‘swell-encapsulation-shrink’. The antibacterial efficacy of the prepared quantum dot-crystal violet polyurethane substrates (QD + CV PU) was investigated under low power visible light illumination at similar intensities (500 lux) to those present in clinical settings. The antibacterial performance of QD + CV PU was superior to the constituent polymer substrates, eliminating ~99.9% of an environmental P. aeruginosa strain, a clinical P. aeruginosa strain from a cystic fibrosis patient and a clinical E. coli strain. The nature of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) involved in antibacterial activity of the QD + CV surface was investigated using ROS inhibitors and time-resolved optical spectroscopy. The photophysical interaction of the green-emitting QDs with CV leads to a combination of Type I and II electron transfer and energy transfer processes, with the highly potent ROS singlet oxygen playing a dominant role. This study is the first to demonstrate highly efficient synergistic killing of clinical and environmental strains of intrinsically resistant and multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria using light-activated surfaces containing biocompatible cadmium-free QDs and crystal violet dye at ambient light levels.

Type: Article
Title: Synergistic Interactions of Cadmium-free Quantum Dots Embedded in a Photosensitised Polymer Surface: Efficient Killing of Multidrug-Resistant Strains at Low Ambient Light Levels
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1039/c9nr10421f
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1039/c9nr10421f
Language: English
Additional information: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Div of Surgery and Interventional Sci > Department of Surgical Biotechnology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Eastman Dental Institute
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Eastman Dental Institute > Microbial Diseases
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Chemistry
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10095686
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