Reactive-oxygen-species-mediated mechanism for photoinduced antibacterial and antiviral activities of Ag(3)PO(4)

Cubic-shaped Ag(3)PO(4) crystals with a mean size of 1 μm were synthesized by a precipitation method from a mixed solution of AgNO(3), Na(2)HPO(4), and triethanolamine. The antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Listeria innocua, and Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 in both the absence and presence of Ag(3)PO(4) under dark conditions and in the presence of Ag(3)PO(4) under red-light (625 nm) and blue-light (460 nm) irradiation were examined. The concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also measured in the antibacterial action of the Ag(3)PO(4) against Escherichia coli. The photoinduced enhancement of the Ag(3)PO(4) antibacterial activity under blue-light irradiation is explained by the formation of ROS during the antibacterial action of the Ag(3)PO(4). Moreover, the antiviral activity of Ag(3)PO(4) against amphotropic 10A1 murine leukemia virus enhanced under blue-light irradiation via ROS production. These results provide an insight into extended bio-applications of Ag(3)PO(4).