Enhancing polysulfone membrane performance: The role of ZIF-8 nanoparticles in biofilm control and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
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Water, Environment, and Renewable Energy Center, Scientific Research Commission, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Baghdad, Iraq
Autor do korespondencji
Mustafa Hussein Al-Furaiji
Water, Environment, and Renewable Energy Center, Scientific Research Commission, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Baghdad, Iraq
J. Ecol. Eng. 2025; 26(7)
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To control biofilm in membranes through the performance enhancement of Polysulfone membranes, ZIF-8 nanoparticles (NPs) were mixed into membranes. The study focused on the antimicrobial and biofilm dispersal potential of ZIF-8 NPs membranes against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This study uses a room-temperature solution reaction method for synthesizing ZIF-8 NPs and characterizes the materials with SEM, EDX, ZETA potential, and FTIR. Biofilm inhibition tests are conducted with results indicating that a concentration of 2.5mg/mL ZIF-8 NPs resulted in a 99.3% inhibition rate in Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation. P. aeruginosa biofilm formation was reduced to 96% with a higher concentration of ZIF-8 NPs at 5mg/mL. ZIF-8 membranes (0 wt%, 0.025 wt%, 0.05 wt%, and 0.075 wt%) were fluorescently stained to visualize biofilms, and the surface coverage of biofilm was (83.74%, 34.267 %, 10.24 %, 43.712 %) respectively, which indicated that optimal loading of ZIF-8 NPs was (0.05 wt%) and it was not only improved biofilm inhibition, but also maintained the structural integrity of the membranes in this loading, whereas higher concentrations resulted in less biofilm reduction due to nanoparticle aggregation. ZIF-8 NPs integration with Polysulfone increased the hydrophilicity and porosity of the membrane, which in turn will reduce the adhesion of bacteria to the surface of the membrane. There is evidence supporting claims that ZIF-8 NPs are effective antimicrobial agents and also serve as membrane additives to tackle biofilm for water filtration and other biomedical applications.