Efficient photo-oxidation of phenol and photo-inactivation of bacteria by cationic tetrakis(trimethylanilinium)porphyrins

Photo-oxidation of phenol in aqueous alkaline and neutral buffer solutions by irradiation with visible light in the presence of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium)porphyrin (TAPP) and its zinc metal ion (ZnTAPP) photo-sensitizers is described. The inhibitory effect of these molecules on the growth of Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus strophaeus and the Gram-negative strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa has also been examined. Furthermore, to determine the relationship between inhibition and attachment, the degree of binding of these photo-sensitizers to these bacteria was determined. The results show that TAPP is more effective than ZnTAPP in the photo-oxidation of phenol and photo-inactivation of the bacteria. In addition, the degree of binding of TAPP to these bacteria was more than that of ZnTAPP.