Study of membrane disruption theory for antimicrobial properties of polyphosphate obtained from industrial sludges

The rising global concern regarding microbial resistance has driven extensive research to explore alternatives. Polyphosphate (PolyP) enriched with antimicrobial properties is an essential constituent of waste water sludge. Antimicrobial properties prevent the growth and spread of microbes by disrupting the microbial cell wall or membrane. This project aims to investigate the membrane disruption theory (MDT) as a mechanism for the antimicrobial properties of PolyP extracted from industrial sludges. The project initiates with the extraction of PolyP from solid sludge using a biological method. Antimicrobial quantification will be assessed with minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum microbial growth methods under MDT. The second phase of the project will be the application of PolyP to develop sustainable antimicrobial nanofibers with coaxial electrospinning. The final phase comprises the modelling and simulation of nanofibers diameter; and the geometry of core shell structures. This study seeks to elucidate the specific pathways through which PolyP disrupts microbial membranes.