Chemiluminescence as a PDT light source for microbial control

The photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a combination of using a photosensitizer agent, light and oxygen that can cause oxidative cellular damage. This technique is applied in several cases, including for microbial control. The most extensively studied light sources for this purpose are lasers and LED-based systems. Few studies treat alternative light sources based PDT. Sources which present flexibility, portability and economic advantages are of great interest. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro feasibility for the use of chemiluminescence as a PDT light source to induce Staphylococcus aureus reduction. The Photogem® concentration varied from 0 to 75 μg/ml and the illumination time varied from 60 min to 240 min. The long exposure time was necessary due to the low irradiance achieved with chemiluminescence reaction at μW/cm2 level. The results demonstrated an effective microbial reduction of around 98% for the highest photosensitizer concentration and light dose. These data suggest the potential use of chemiluminescence as a light source for PDT microbial control, with advantages in terms of flexibility, when compared with conventional sources.

Research highlights
► We evaluated the in vitro feasibility for the use of chemiluminescence as a PDT light source to induce Staphylococcus aureus reduction.
► The idea of a portable, flexible and low cost light source based on chemiluminescence shows a potential clinical use.
► The PDT effect was evaluated with group (PS+L+) and it presented a significant bacterial reduction compared to group (PS+L-).