Author: Vy Price-Beck
Price-Beck, Vy, 2024 Exploring the Antimicrobial Properties of Gallium and Copper Alloy Coating for Healthcare Applications, Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health
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Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) considered as a big problem for medical setting because it leads to increased complications, prolonged hospital stays, and higher costs. This research has been conducted to investigate the Gallium and Copper Alloy coating (LMCu) could prevent these infections. Hence, LMCu is a promising antibacterial quality, it is receiving a lot of attention for use in biomedical applications. The study involved in assessing LMCu antimicrobial against key pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli by using techniques such as SEM, SEM-EDS, zone inhibition and colony forming unit. In addition, some different concentrations of CuSO₄ (0.5M, 0.75M, and 1M) were used to determine the efficiency of the LMCu coating. The results confirm that increasing CuSO₄ concentration also increases the antimicrobial effectiveness of LMCu coating. It highlights that LMCu 0.75M exhibits the highest significant inhibition of bacterial growth. The coating has successfully changed bacterial morphology and inhibited microbial growth. The results show that Gallium is more effective against gram-negative bacteria than against gram-positive bacteria. There should be an investigate for the release of metal ions under different conditions, and potential additional mechanisms of antimicrobial action. Examining the long-term biocompatibility and adhesion of these coatings to various surfaces is also crucial. Addressing these aspects could confirm LMCu’s potential as a reliable antimicrobial coating for preventing HAIs and improving patient safety in healthcare environments.
Keywords: Gallium and Copper Alloy, Antimicrobial coating
Subject: Medical Biotechnology thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2024
School: College of Medicine and Public Health
Supervisor: Assoc Prof. Vi Khanh Truong