The carbon nanoparticles existing in environment are an important factor on healthy either by their toxicity or by interaction with pathogen microorganisms, which can make them more resistant or induce a specific mutagenesis. To understand the role of the nanocarbon particles, a series of carbon nanopowders was synthesized by gas-phase laser pyrolysis from different hydrocarbon-based mixture and used to design cell culture media for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The microorganisms, grown in a given incubation time, were investigated by fluorescent markers (water soluble quantum dots). We report that structure and properties of the nanocarbons influence the behaviour of the aerobic microorganisms. We show that carbon nanopowders are oxygen supplier for microorganisms and, at the same time, due to the presence of polyaromatics or heterogeneous atoms existent in the reactive gas mixture, could have an inhibition/poisoning effect. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.