Bacteria Fighting Paper Towels: The Influence of Selenium Nanoparticles

Bacterial infections are commonly found on paper towels and other paper products leading to the potential spread of bacteria and consequent health concerns. The objective of this in vitro study was to introduce antibacterial properties to standard paper towel surfaces by coating them with selenium nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy was used to measure the size and distribution of the selenium coatings on the paper towels. The amount of selenium precipitated on the paper towels was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In vitro bacterial studies with S. aureus were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the selenium coatings at inhibiting bacterial growth. Results showed that the selenium nanoparticles coated on the paper towel surfaces were well distributed and were semi spherical 50nm in diameter. Most importantly, the selenium nanoparticle coated paper towels inhibited S. aureus growth by 90% after 24, 48 and 72 hours compared with uncoated paper towels. Thus, this study showed that nano-selenium coated paper towels may lead to an increased eradication of bacteria to clean a more wide-range of clinical environments and for the food industry, thus, improving health.