Abstract
This article first gives a brief review of the literature on disinfection and bactericidal effect using photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology. Photocatalytic chemistry of titanium dioxide has been extensively studied over the last 30 years for removal of organic and inorganic compounds from contaminated water and air. This review provides (1) background on PCO technology, (2) biological effect of PCO, (3) mechanism of cell and DNA damage photoinduced by PCO. Relevant research conducted in our laboratory is also presented. Finally, possible applications of the PCO for engineering controls of infectious diseases are discussed.