Diseases caused by harmful microorganisms pose a serious threat to human health. Safe and environment-friendly disinfectants are, therefore, essential in preventing and controlling such pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial activity and mechanism of a novel hydrogen peroxide and silver (H 2 O 2 -Ag + ) complex (HSC) in combatting Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Escherichia coli O157:H7 NCTC 12900 and Salmonella typhimurium SL 1344. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values against S. aureus were found to be 0.014 % H 2 O 2 -3.125 mg/L Ag + , while 0.028 % H 2 O 2 -6.25 mg/L Ag + for both E. coli and S. typhimurium . Results of the growth curve assay and time-kill trial suggest that the HSC could inhibit the growth of the tested bacteria, as 99.9 % of viable cells were killed following treatment at the 1 MIC for 3 h. Compared with Oxytech D10 disinfectant (0.25 % H 2 O 2 -5 mg/L Ag + ), the HSC exhibited better antibacterial efficacy at a lower concentration (0.045 % H 2 O 2 -10 mg/L Ag + ). The mechanism of antibacterial action of HSC was found including the disruption of the bacterial cell membrane, followed by entry into the bacteria cell to reduce intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration, and inhibit the activity of antioxidases, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The enhanced bactericidal effect of hydrogen peroxide combined with silver indicates a potential for its application in environmental disinfection, particularly in the food industry.
Combined Effect of Cold Atmospheric Plasma and Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment on Mature Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium Biofilms
