Antibacterial activity of lemon (Citrus limon) juice-absorbed bentonite

Bentonite-based materials have been explored recently because of bentonite’s adsorption properties. Utilization of bentonite’s adsorption properties can be employed by incorporating antibacterial materials in bentonite to produce an antibacterial bentonite-based material. In this study, an antibacterial natural-based material was prepared by incorporating lemon juice in bentonite powders. Lemon juice was extracted manually from the fruit and then bentonite powders were then immersed in different volumes of lemon juice. FTIR spectrum of the modified bentonite powders was obtained and showed peaks related to bentonite, and lemon juice. SEM revealed changes in the samples’ surface morphology after the incorporation of lemon juice in bentonite powders. The modified bentonite powders were pelletized before the agar disc diffusion test. The use of the agar disc diffusion test showed the antibacterial property of the pelletized modified bentonite samples against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). A higher antibacterial index of the prepared sample was found against S. aureus.