DETECTION OF ACTIVE OXYGEN GENERATED FROM CERAMIC POWDERS HAVING ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

In order to elucidate the antibacterial mechanisms of magnesium oxide (MgO), calcium oxide (CaO) and zinc oxide (ZnO), the generation of act ive oxygen from these ceramic powder slurries was examined by oxygen e lectrode analysis and chemiluminescence analysis. Hydrogen peroxide (H 2O2) generated from the ZnO powder slurry was detected using the oxyge n electrode. Active oxygen from the MgO and CaO powder slurries was no t detected by the oxygen electrode analysis. Chemiluminescence analysi s could detect the generation of active oxygen from three kinds of pow ders. The luminescence response of the CaO powder slurry was markedly strong. The chemiluminescence responses of the CaO and MgO powder slur ries are due to the superoxide anion (O-2(-)). The order of the streng th of luminescence response was CaO, MgO, and ZnO, which agreed with t hat of the antibacterial activity of these powders. These results sugg ested that active oxygen species generated from the ceramic powders we re associated with their antibacterial activities.