Disinfecting effect of nanoscale photocatalysts: a brief review

This review describes nanosized particles of metals, oxides and organic substances that can act as effective disinfectants when irradiated with ultraviolet and visible light. Such an effect is due to photocatalytic action, namely the release of reactive oxygen species, leading to oxidative stress in pathogenic microflora. The review gives a description of the physical and chemical principles of such particles, the variety of their types, methods of their synthesis, and examples of their application. The data from the articles of the last few years from the leading international scientific journals are cited and promising directions for further work are outlined. Keywords: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, copper oxide, nanopowders, nanoparticles, photocatalysts, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antimicrobial properties, resistance, oxidative stres.