The study, which appeared on American Chemical Society (ACS) journal, sprouted from the possible toxicity of nanotubes in aquatic environments and its presence on the food chain.

 

Research head Menachem Elimelech, also a professor and chair of chemical and environmental engineering at Yale said the nanotubes' fight against E.coli and other bacteria is a "nanoscience version of a David-and-Goliath story."  He noted the nanotubes' powerful microbial activity could help fight the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant infections. However, while these elements hold promise, Elimelech points out that there is still little understanding of how they interact with humans and the environment.

 

Using the simple E. coli as test cells, the researchers incubated cultures of the bacteria in the presence of the nanotubes for an hour. The microbes were killed outright, but only when there was direct contact with aggregates of SWCNTs that touched the bacteria. Elimelech speculated that the long, thin nanotubes puncture the cells and cause cellular damage.

 

Elimelech said they are also exploring the effects of SWCNTs on a wide range of bacterial strains to better understand the mechanism of cellular damage. In the study's preliminary results, multi-walled carbon nanotubes are less toxic than SWCNTs, he said.

 

Elimelech projects that SWCNTs could be used to create antimicrobial materials and surface coatings to improve hygiene, while their toxicity could be managed by embedding them to prevent their leaching into the environment.