Comparison of the Effects of Silver in Nanostructured and Ultrahigh Diluted Form on Growth and Volatile Compounds Produced by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Introduction: In this project, the growth and volatile metabolites profiles of Escherichia coli (E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus were monitored under the influence of silver base chemical, nanoparticle and ultra-highly diluted compounds. Materials & Methods: The treatments were done for 12000 life cycles using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as well as ultra-highly diluted Argentum nitricum (Arg-n). Volatile organic metabolites analysis was performed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that AgNPs treatment made the bacteria resistant and adapted to growth in the nanoparticle condition. The use of ultra-highly diluted Arg-n initially increased growth but it decreased later. Also, with the continuous usage of these materials, no more bacterial growth was observed. Results: The most important compounds produced by E. coli are Acetophenone, Octyl acetate, Styrene, 1,8-cineole, 4-t-butyl-2-(1-methyl-2-nitroethyl)cyclohexane, hexadecane and 2-Undecanol. The main compounds derived from S. aureus are Acetophenone,1,8-cineole, Benzaldehyde, 2-Hexan-1-ol, Tridecanol, Dimethyl Octenal and tetradecane. Acetophenone and 1,8-cineole were common and produced by both organisms. Conclusion: Based on the origin of the produced volatiles, main volatiles percentage of untreated sample is hydrocarbon (>50%), while bacteria treatments convert the ratio in to aldehydes, ketones and alcohols in the case of AgNPs, (>80%) and aldehydes, ketones and terpenes in the case of Arg-n (>70%).