Anti-fungus Impacts of Graphene Oxide Nanosheets and Reduced Graphene Oxide on Candida albicans Biofilm Formation

Candida albicans is the most common fungus pathogen in terms of biofilm colonization and formation. Considering that the biofilm-producing Candida species show less sensitivity to anti-fungus medicines, hence the treatment should be accomplished through other anti-fungus factors with high effect and low cytotoxicity. In parallel with this, the present study investigated the C. albicans biofilm formation in the presence of Graphene Dioxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Nano-sheets.

Graphene Dioxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide Nano-sheets synthesis were done through the Hummer Method using natural graphite. After 24 hours of incubating of C. albicans with different concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 ppm of Nano-sheets, biofilm formation was investigated through the ELISA method, and results were analyzed by SPSS ver.18 software (p <0.01).

Graphene Oxide Nano-sheets was more effective to control C. albicans biofilm compared to Reduced Graphene Oxide (p < 0.01). The most effective concentration in biofilm formation was 100 ppm and the best  time was 48 and 24 hours for Graphene Oxide and Reduced Graphene Oxide respectively (p < 0.01).

According to the obtained results, Graphene Oxide Nano-sheets and Reduced Graphene Oxide can be proposed for further investigations to control Candida albicans.