Bactericidal pathway ofEscherichia coliin buffered saline treated with oxygen radicals

Bactericidal effects of phosphate buffered saline treated with electrically neutral oxygen radicals on Escherichia coli (E. coli) are studied using an atmospheric pressure radical source and colony counting method. To clarify the bactericidal mechanism, the chemistry in phosphate buffers treated with oxygen radicals with and without saline has been quantitatively investigated using the well-established chemical reporters N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine reagent and Amplex Red for residual chlorine (HClO and ClO−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), respectively. From the results, we have found that the presence of chlorine in the solutions treated with oxygen radicals is the most important factor in the further chemical reactions to generate hypochlorous acid in E. coli death, and H2O2 is also linked to the bactericidal effect via an indirect chemical pathway.