Antimicrobial behavior of semifluorinated-quaternized triblock copolymers against airborne and marine microorganisms

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2010 Mar;2(3):703-11. doi: 10.1021/am900748v.

Abstract

Semifluorinated-quaternized triblock copolymers (SQTCs) were synthesized by chemical modification of polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polyisoprene ABC triblock copolymers. Surface characterization of the polymers was performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) analysis. The surface of the SQTC showed very high antibacterial activity against the airborne bacterium Staphylococcus aureus with >99 % inhibition of growth. In contrast in marine fouling assays, zoospores of the green alga Ulva settled on the SQTC, which can be attributed to the positively charged surface. The adhesion strength of sporelings (young plants) of Ulva and Navicula diatoms (a unicellular alga) was high. The SQTC did not show marked algicidal activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Air Microbiology
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Diatoms / drug effects*
  • Eukaryota / drug effects*
  • Fluorine / chemistry*
  • Fluorine / pharmacology*
  • Marine Biology
  • Materials Testing
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Water Microbiology

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Polymers
  • Fluorine