Antibacterial Potential of Activated Carbon Impregnated with Garlic Extract

Abstract

Contamination of water resources by pathogenic microorganisms is a major concern worldwide. As an example, hospitals generate effluents with a wide range of chemical and microbiological contaminants. These effluents are generally not treated beforehand due to the high costs and are, therefore, mixed with domestic effluents in regional treatment systems. Thus, actions to maintain water quality include the development of appropriate materials for its sustainable treatment. In this context, this study aims to develop natural antibacterial materials by impregnating aqueous and alcoholic extracts of garlic in activated babassu charcoal to reduce the microbial load of effluents. This material has been tested in a standard saline solution, which simulates the composition of hospital wastewater and allows bacteria to develop. The biomaterials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy, pHPZC assays, Boehm’s method, and microbiological assays. Significant antibacterial activities were verified for the garlic extract-impregnated biomaterials; the activated carbon functionalized with HNO3 and impregnated with aqueous garlic extract inhibited 100% of E. coli growth. This result pointed to garlic extract associated with babassu activated carbon as a green alternative for the pre-treatment of complex effluents, such as hospital effluents.