Interactions between Carbon Black Nanoparticles and Bacteria: Changes in Flow Cytometric Parameters
Blanka Emődy-Kiss, János Fent
Hungarian Defence Forces Medical Centre
Abstract:
Knowledge of the aggregation and agglomeration abilities of nanoparticles and bacteria is crucial for understanding biofilm formation, developing antibacterial coatings, and advancing various technological applications. To investigate this phenomenon, suspensions of four bacterial species were examined by flow cytometry in the presence of carbon black nanoparticles. Changes in cell count, light scattering parameters, and the intensity of nucleic acid staining with Syto9 were monitored. Our findings reveal that carbon black increases the average side scatter values for all examined bacterial species. Fluorescence intensity exhibited a variable response, though it generally showed a decreasing trend in the presence of carbon black. These results suggest that the surface properties of carbon black enable it to adhere to bacteria regardless of whether the species is Gram-positive or Gram-negative.
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