Photocatalytic production of 1O2 and *OH mediated by silver oxidation during the photoinactivation of Escherichia coli with TiO2.

Ag loaded TiO(2) was applied in the photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli under ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) light irradiations. Ag enhanced the TiO(2) photodisinfecting effect under Vis irradiation promoting the formation of singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals as identified by EPR analyses. Ag nanoparticles, determined on TEM analyses, undergo an oxidation process on the TiO(2)'s surface under UV or Vis irradiation as observed by XPS. In particular, UV pre-irradiation of the material totally diminished its photodisinfection activity under a subsequent Vis irradiation test. Under UV, photodegradation of dichloroacetic acid (DCA), attributed to photoproduced holes in TiO(2), was inhibited by the presence of Ag suggesting that oxidation of Ag(0) to Ag(+) and Ag(2+) is faster than the oxidative path of the TiO(2)'s holes on DCA molecules. Furthermore, photoassisted increased of Ag(+) concentration on TiO(2)'s surface enhances the bacteriostatic activity of the material in dark periods. Indeed, this latter dark contact of Ag(+)-TiO(2) and E. coli seems to induce recovering of the Vis light photoactivity promoted by the surface Ag photoactive species.