An investigation into the interaction between carbon-based nanomaterials and Escherichia coli cells using atomic force microscopy

Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), the nature of the contact between a wide range of carbonbased nanomaterials (CBNs) and Escherichia coli cells is described and the consequences of such an interaction are estimated. It is shown that the contact of multiwall and a number of single-wall carbon nanotubes with the surface of a model microorganism carries a probabilistic nature and is not accompanied by changes in the morphology and viability of bacterial cells. The damage of the surface structures and the consequent destruction of Escherichia coli are observed upon contact with single-wall carbon nanotubes with low degrees of purification, which is presumably determined by the presence of technological impurities in CBNs. A significant enhancement of the affinity of C60 fullerenes functionalized by amine groups to the surface of model microorganisms, which also leads to the development of a bactericidal effect, is shown.