Tannic acid-mediated rapid layer-by-layer deposited non-leaching silver nanoparticles hybridized cellulose membranes for point-of-use water disinfection.

Abstract

Gravity driven water filtration is a commonly used process of removing microorganism from the contaminated water. However, the existing strategies involve prolonged synthesis and toxic reducing agent for immobilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on cellulose membranes that are not suitable for routine handling. We have developed a non-toxic and environmentally benign method using TA mediated silver salt layer-by-layer (LbL) in-situ reduction method. Our LbL method exhibited the properties of controlled size and uniform distribution of in-site AgNPs on the surface of the membranes. The LbL deposited AgNPs hybrid membranes displayed an excellent antibacterial activity which have been validated through an efficient bacterial filtration performance against the Escherichia coli (E. coli). The present method for developing hybrid membranes offered a simple, rapid, low-cost, sustainable, and large-scale fabrication for bacterial filtration which could be used for the point-of-use applications, particularly at resource-limited and remote areas.