The Effect of Ceramics Impregnated with Silver Nanoparticles on Escherichia coli for Small Scale Drinking Water Systems
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Microbiology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Oral Presentation Award
2nd Place
Abstract
Silver (Ag) has been used for its antiseptic qualities for thousands of years, including recent applications for point-of-use drinking water disinfection via colloidal silver-coated filtration devices. The purpose of this study was to produce an effective filtration system to be used in developing countries. It was hypothesized that the strongest solution, 240,000 g/L, would have the greatest effect on inhibiting Escherichia coli. A novel deployment of silver nanoparticles was tested in which a handmade ceramic filter formed with sawdust and Kaolin clay dust was immersed in dilutions of silver nanoparticles and then used as a filtration device in the attempt to inhibit E. coli. E. coli solutions were created by amending deionized water with an E. coli K12 broth solution. The difference between the yield rates was significant; F(4,20)=2.87, p<0.05, and a Tukey determined that significant differences were between the 240,000 g/L concentration versus the control yields. Results suggest that filters impregnated with silver nanoparticles may be a feasible approach to small scale water treatment systems.
Recommended Citation
Groseclose, Lauren E., "The Effect of Ceramics Impregnated with Silver Nanoparticles on Escherichia coli for Small Scale Drinking Water Systems" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 209.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/209
Start Date
4-11-2015 9:45 AM
End Date
4-11-2015 10:00 AM
The Effect of Ceramics Impregnated with Silver Nanoparticles on Escherichia coli for Small Scale Drinking Water Systems
Silver (Ag) has been used for its antiseptic qualities for thousands of years, including recent applications for point-of-use drinking water disinfection via colloidal silver-coated filtration devices. The purpose of this study was to produce an effective filtration system to be used in developing countries. It was hypothesized that the strongest solution, 240,000 g/L, would have the greatest effect on inhibiting Escherichia coli. A novel deployment of silver nanoparticles was tested in which a handmade ceramic filter formed with sawdust and Kaolin clay dust was immersed in dilutions of silver nanoparticles and then used as a filtration device in the attempt to inhibit E. coli. E. coli solutions were created by amending deionized water with an E. coli K12 broth solution. The difference between the yield rates was significant; F(4,20)=2.87, p<0.05, and a Tukey determined that significant differences were between the 240,000 g/L concentration versus the control yields. Results suggest that filters impregnated with silver nanoparticles may be a feasible approach to small scale water treatment systems.
