Development of Nano-TiO₂ Activated Carbon as Antibacterial Agent in Hospital Waste

Binti Mu’arofah; Tri Ana Mulyati; Fery Eko Pujiono; Sri Wahyuni; Nurul Istiqomah

doi:10.37311/jsscr.v7i3.33990

Development of Nano-TiO₂ Activated Carbon as Antibacterial Agent in Hospital Waste

Binti Mu’arofah, Tri Ana Mulyati, Fery Eko Pujiono, Sri Wahyuni, Nurul Istiqomah

Abstract

Hospital wastewater frequently harbors multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, motivating eco-benign materials that couple adsorption with antibacterial function. We prepared activated carbon from sugarcane bagasse by carbonization and KOH activation and modified it with nano-TiO₂ (target loadings 5 and 10 wt%). FTIR revealed interfacial Ti–O–C features (1695/1572 cm⁻¹) and Ti–O–Ti vibrations (682 cm⁻¹), XRD showed anatase reflections (2θ ≈ 25.2°, 37.7°, 48.1°, 53.8°, 55.0°), and SEM–EDX confirmed surface decoration with more homogeneous dispersion at lower TiO₂ and incipient agglomeration at higher loading. Antibacterial activity was assessed by agar well-diffusion on Mueller–Hinton Agar under dark incubation (37 °C, 24 h) against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Inhibition-zone ranges were 13.0–14.2 mm for E. coli, 10.0–14.5 mm for K. pneumoniae (carbon control highest), and 8.0–10.5 mm for P. aeruginosa (AC K(5)/Ti(10) largest). These species-dependent, moderate effects under non-photocatalytic conditions are consistent with interfacial acid–base/electrostatic interactions and adsorption rather than light-driven oxidation. Overall, TiO₂-modified, bagasse-derived activated carbon integrates adsorptive and antibacterial functions and is a promising candidate for hospital-wastewater treatment. Future work should optimize TiO₂ loading/immobilization, control pH/ionic strength, and evaluate performance under UV-A/visible illumination in continuous-flow systems to leverage adsorption–photocatalysis synergy.

Keywords

nano-TiO₂; Activated carbon; Composite; Antibacterial activity; Hospital wastewater; Photocatalysis

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.37311/jsscr.v7i3.33990

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