Abstract
The interaction between two-dimensional nanoflakes and bacteria in water-based physiological liquids is a hot topic that unveils new types of phenomena and is fundamental to bioscience applications. In this work, we extend Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek theory (DLVO theory) that describes the properties of nano-objects in solutions, to the case of two-dimensional nanoflakes interacting with bacteria cell membranes, both for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. We have studied the role of the bacterial shape, membrane potential, and two-dimensional nanomaterials nature showing the interplay of these parameters in determining whether the interactions are attractive or repulsive and whether electrostatic or van der Waals forces are dominant. We calculated the interaction distances at equilibrium for different bacterial species and hydrophobic nanomaterials such as in two environmentally friendly solvents, water and cyrene.
Acknowledgement
CA, MV, and MS acknowledge partial support for this work from MIUR (Italian Ministry for Research) under project PRIN “Predicting and controlling the fate of bio-molecules driven by extreme-ultraviolet radiation” (Prot. 20173B72NB).
Author contribution
CA, MS, and JA conceived the study and the theoretical model extension. JA carried on most of the calculations. MRDS, JA, and MS wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to analyze the results of the article and approved the submitted version.
Competing interests
The authors declare that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.