The Effect Of Copper And Silver Nanoparticles On Escherichia Coli K-12
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Environmental Science
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
The effect of copper and silver nanoparticles on Escherichia coli K-12 / Sreeja Varanasi / Environmental Science / / Almost 783 million people do not have access to clean drinking water. Many of these third world residents who do not have clean drinking water, resort to drinking any water that is available. Escherichia coli (E. coli), a harmful bacteria that harm and even kill humans, is found in the unsanitary waters of most third world countries. The purpose of this study was to find the most effective element in the form of nanoparticles so that new and improved water filters are made to be more efficient and are distributed around the world faster. It was hypothesized that a silver nanoparticle-coated polyurethane foam piece would inhibit more bacteria than a copper nanoparticle-coated polyurethane foam piece, because silver exhibited properties that could modify and destroy bacterial cells. Polyurethane foam pieces were soaked in colloidal silver and copper, which contained silver and copper nanoparticles respectively. These coated polyurethane foam pieces were exposed to bacterial water, and the absorbance as a function of the concentration of bacteria water was recorded before and after the polyurethane foam piece was introduced. The hypothesis was supported. The silver nanoparticle trials did inhibit more E. coli K-12 than the copper nanoparticle trials. An ANOVA test (F (2,57)= 148.1327, p<0.0001) was run. It showed that the means were statistically different (p = <0.0001 < α = 0.05). A two sample t-test determined that there was also significant difference between the copper and silver nanoparticle trials. In conclusion, silver nanoparticles were more effective than copper nanoparticles. /
Recommended Citation
Varanasi, Sreeja, "The Effect Of Copper And Silver Nanoparticles On Escherichia Coli K-12" (2016). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 249.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2016/all/249
Location
Owens 210
Start Date
4-16-2016 11:30 AM
The Effect Of Copper And Silver Nanoparticles On Escherichia Coli K-12
Owens 210
The effect of copper and silver nanoparticles on Escherichia coli K-12 / Sreeja Varanasi / Environmental Science / / Almost 783 million people do not have access to clean drinking water. Many of these third world residents who do not have clean drinking water, resort to drinking any water that is available. Escherichia coli (E. coli), a harmful bacteria that harm and even kill humans, is found in the unsanitary waters of most third world countries. The purpose of this study was to find the most effective element in the form of nanoparticles so that new and improved water filters are made to be more efficient and are distributed around the world faster. It was hypothesized that a silver nanoparticle-coated polyurethane foam piece would inhibit more bacteria than a copper nanoparticle-coated polyurethane foam piece, because silver exhibited properties that could modify and destroy bacterial cells. Polyurethane foam pieces were soaked in colloidal silver and copper, which contained silver and copper nanoparticles respectively. These coated polyurethane foam pieces were exposed to bacterial water, and the absorbance as a function of the concentration of bacteria water was recorded before and after the polyurethane foam piece was introduced. The hypothesis was supported. The silver nanoparticle trials did inhibit more E. coli K-12 than the copper nanoparticle trials. An ANOVA test (F (2,57)= 148.1327, p<0.0001) was run. It showed that the means were statistically different (p = <0.0001 < α = 0.05). A two sample t-test determined that there was also significant difference between the copper and silver nanoparticle trials. In conclusion, silver nanoparticles were more effective than copper nanoparticles. /
