Titanium Dioxide Solar Photocatalytic Microbial Inactivation Assessment Utilizing Viability Tests and a Novel Triplex qPCR Assay for Nucleic Acid Degradation Determination.

ABSTRACT: Photocatalytic oxidation of microorganisms is a powerful alternative to established disinfection approaches, applicable to a variety of water matrices. Bacterial vegetative cells, spores, fungi, and viruses, represent potential biopathogens and photocatalysis targets. Inactivation efficiency is usually evaluated by assessing viability through culture. However, additional inactivation assessment approaches are needed, as some microbes, despite being unculturable, remain metabolically active and pathogenic. Nucleic acid quantification approaches (qPCR) can assess nucleic acid release and degradation during photocatalysis. We developed a novel multiplex qPCR assay for simultaneous detection/quantification of genomic DNA from different bacterial and fungal species and of MS2 bacteriophage load

SUBMITTER: Paspaltsis I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12654508 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature