Electrochemically reactive nanobubbles for fungal inactivation: A cytocompatible disinfection strategy for biocontaminated environments
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Fungal contamination presents a persistent challenge in wastewater treatment and related sectors, including the healthcare, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, the antifungal potential of electrochemically reactive nanobubbles (ERNBs) was systematically investigated against Candida albicans. The proposed mechanism involves reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress as the primary mode of fungal inactivation. ERNBs at varying concentrations were evaluated for antifungal efficacy by assessing fungal viability, extracellular leakage of biomolecules, and morphological alterations using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results demonstrated that higher ERNB concentrations (~108 bubbles/mL) led to near-complete fungal deactivation, accompanied by significant protein leakage, DNA release, lipid peroxidation, and severe membrane disruption. Fluorescent assays confirmed the generation of hydroxyl (OH·) radicals and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as the dominant ROS. An ERNBs-mediated antifungal mechanism was proposed to provide mechanistic insights. Cytotoxicity tests on human dermal fibroblasts revealed minimal adverse effects, indicating the high biocompatibility of ERNBs. These findings demonstrate that ERNBs can serve as a safe, effective, and promising disinfection strategy for fungal control in water treatment and other bio-contaminated environments.
Source: Journal of Hazardous Materials
Authors: Alok Das, Gaurav Yadav, Priyanka Burange, Arpita Karmakar, Neelkanth Nirmalkar, Srivatsava Naidu
Institution: Indian Institute of Technology Ropar
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,340
OpenAlex ID: W4416257241