Targeted Disinfection of E. coli via Bioconjugation to Photoreactive TiO2

The selective control of pathogenic bacteria is an ongoing challenge. A strategy is proposed that combines targeted binding of the bacterium, using antibodies, with their photoactivated oxidative destruction. Photoactive colloidal TiO2 was first derivatized with E. coli antibodies (EA-TiO2). When mixtures of the organisms E. coli and Pseudomonas putida ( P. putida ) were exposed to modified EA-TiO2, the particles preferentially selected E. coli …