Comparative Antibacterial Study of Raw and C16TMA-Modified Kanemite for Environmental Water Disinfection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.5193Keywords:
Antibacterial kinetics, Hexadecyltrimethylammonium, Intercalation, Kanemite, Staphylococcus aureus, Water disinfectionAbstract
Access to microbiologically safe water remains a critical public health challenge. Layered silicates like kanemite offer a platform for water disinfection, but their native form has limited antibacterial efficacy. This study comparatively evaluates raw kanemite and its organically modified form, cetyltrimethylammonium-kanemite (C16TMA-kanemite), to assess the impact of intercalation on antibacterial performance. Both materials were synthesized via a hydrothermal method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Antibacterial kinetics and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus were monitored using UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Structural analysis revealed that while raw kanemite maintained a compact framework (d-spacing = 1.02 nm), the modified hybrid showed significant interlayer expansion to approximately 2.3–2.7 nm. Raw kanemite exhibited only partial inhibition at tested dosages, whereas C16TMA-kanemite achieved complete bacterial eradication (100%) within 15 minutes at 0.05 g/5 mL. These results demonstrate that organic modification is the decisive factor in transforming an inert silicate into a fast-acting biocide through membrane disruption, offering a potent solution for contaminated water disinfection.
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