Date of Award

4-15-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Applied Science

First Advisor

Tansel karabacak

Abstract

Bacterial infections are a major public health concern. Bacterial infection can occur in any part of the body and can also cause the body to respond to its presence. Bacteria can be transferred to humans through water, food, air, and living vectors. The modes of transmission for bacterial infections are vectors, airborne, physical contact, and droplets. Current preventative measures have been put in place to combat this issue. These preventative measures include immunization of both animals and humans, personal hygiene measures, biocidal agents, and essential oils. Bacterial resistance has occurred due to these preventative measures being misused and overused. Bacteria have been able to develop a survival mechanism by creating a biofilm. When bacteria develop a thick biofilm, it acts as a protective layer, providing resistance to one of the current killing mechanisms. Antibacterial surfaces have been widely used to eliminate bacteria and biofilm formation. Antibacterial surfaces are effective in combination with biocidal agents yet have not been proven effective against airborne bacteria. Nanomaterials have become a popular option, with antibacterial surfaces proven to be less effective by themselves, but the fabrication process involves high-energy physical procedures and high usage of chemicals. These production processes are both costly and toxic due to the release of toxic byproducts and the production of hazardous waste. Therefore, a low-cost and environmentally friendly process is critical to combating increasing bacterial infections and the formation of biofilm. Aluminum is widely used in the food and healthcare industry, including ventilation systems, surgery equipment, and food packaging applications. Aluminum and aluminum alloys are proven to be inexpensive and have antibacterial properties. In our study, we have enhanced the antibacterial properties of aluminum through a low-cost, environmentally friendly, chemical-free method known as hot water treatment (HWT) and steam treatment (ST). This work involved investigating the antibacterial properties of aluminum oxide nanostructures using a simple, low-cost, and eco-friendly hot water treatment method and steam treatment method to gain an understanding of the mechanism behind killing the bacteria with nanostructures.

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