Antibacterial Activity of CaSO4 Nanorods Prepared via Hydrothermal Method Compared to Bulk CaSO4

Abstract

Calcium sulphate (CaSO₄) nanorods have been synthesized by low-temperature hydrothermal method using CaSO₄ powder as precursor and hexadecylamine (HDA) as surfactant at 180 ⁰C for 7 days. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show nanorods have diameters of about 100nm-200nm and length of about 2-10μm. Fourier transformed infrared spectrum (FTIR) shows a strong doublet is observed near 609 and 681cm^-1 due to the ν₄ (SO₄^2-) bending vibrations. A strongest band observed at 1132 cm^-1 is due to ν₃ (SO₄^2-) stretching vibration. A clinical isolate of E Coli, S. aureus was used as the test strain, In the presence of sub-inhibitory concentration of CaSO₄ nanoparticles. The nanomaterial showed an effective inhibitory effect against E. coli at different concentration of CaSO₄ which was done by disc diffusion method. The antibacterial property of the material seems to arise due to changes in the microenvironment in the vicinity of organism-particle contact area causing damage to the cell membranes on intimate contact between the cell and particle. It is observed that the antibacterial activity of CaSo₄ nanorods compound with bulk CaSO₄ Since CaSO₄ nano particles were found to be more abrasive than bulk CaSO₄