The Properties of Activated Carbons Functionalized with an Antibacterial Agent and a New SufA Protease Inhibitor

Abstract

S. aureus is the cause of many diseases, including numerous infections of the skin. One way to help combat skin infections is to use bandages containing activated carbon. Currently, there are no dressings on the market that use the synergistic effect of activated carbon and antibiotics. Thus, in this study, we point out the adsorption level of an antimicrobial substance on three different active carbons of different origins; by examining the inhibition level of the growth of S. aureus bacteria, we determined the number of live cells adsorbed on activated carbons depending on the presence of gentamicin in the solution. In addition, we designed and synthesized a new antibacterial substance with a new mechanism of action to act as a bacterial protease inhibitor, as well as determining the antibacterial properties conducted through adsorption. Our results demonstrate that activated carbons with adsorbed antibiotics show better bactericidal properties than activated carbon alone or the antibiotic itself. The use of properly modified activated carbons may have a beneficial effect on the development and functioning of new starting materials for bacteria elimination, e.g., in wound-healing treatments in the future.