FIGURE 9.

Efficiency of laser killing of S. aureus targeted with 40-nm gold nanoparticles as a function of laser fluence (0–5 J/cm²). Bacterial viability was assessed by plate counting. Laser parameters are: wavelength, 532 nm; pulse width, 12 ns; and number of pulses, 100. The open squares represent samples irradiated without gold nanoparticles; the solid squares represent samples irradiated with attached gold nanoparticles. The plate-counts of samples without laser treatment were assumed 100% viable. Statistical values are reported as means ± SD of three independent experiments in duplicates.