Antibacterial Effect Of Ag-Pmana Modified Cotton

In this study, the cotton fabric was treated with silver (Ag)-doped sodium polymethacrylate (PMANa) to provide it with antibacterial properties. Ag-doped PMANa, a stable, transparent, and water-soluble organic polymer with antimicrobial activity, was obtained by sequestering Ag+ with the -COO- groups of PMANa polymer via ion exchange method. The antibacterial activity of the Ag-PMANa was evaluated by minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration testing using E. coli and S. aureus as representative strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, respectively. Then, the cotton fibers were impregnated with this polymer, and the successful loading was confirmed by characterization of chemical, structural, and morphological properties. The amount of Ag ions released from the antibacterial cotton was determined by Inductive Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer. Antimicrobial property against E. coli and S. aureus of the modified cotton was assessed by the oscillation method and compared with that of untreated cotton. The modified cotton fabrics were measured to have an excellent antibacterial effect. Furthermore, the results also showed that the modified cotton is highly stable under washing conditions and under exposure to different light conditions. Intrinsic properties of modified cotton were preserved compared to those of pristine cotton. The morphological characteristics of bacteria were evaluated by SEM and the reducing sugars and proteins that leaked from E. coli and S. aureus were detected to preliminarily explore the antimicrobial mechanism of Ag+. The material prepared herein shows high potential for a broad range of applications in biomedical field.