Exploring Antifungic Properties of Low Vacuum Dealloyed Recycled Brass Nanoporous Powder

Abstract Fungal infections pose a significant health concern globally, due to the evermore common resistance to classical antifungal therapies. One possible way to overcome this tendency is to use new pathways offered by the nanotechnology. In this respect it has been studied the possibility of utilizing recycled waste in the form of brass machining chips that are transformed into micron-porous copper (particles) by vacuum dealloying. In a subsequent step it was evidenced the potential antifungal properties. To manufacture the samples powder metallurgy was combined with vacuum dealloying, and a complex characterization to study the possible utilization of these powders at a laboratory level. The machined precursor powders were low vacuum dealloyed (P∼10-1 torr) at 500 ˚C, 550 ˚C, 600 ˚C and 650 ˚C, and the dealloying time was set between 1-4 hours. The porous particles were characterized by SEM-EDS analysis. The antifungal property was evaluated by exposing the samples on a medium of Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) previously contaminated with a solution of Aspergillus Niger spores. The growth of fungi was analysed daily up to seven days using optical microscopy.