NOTE - MICROBIAL RESISTANCE OF WOOL FABRIC TREATED WITH BIS-QUATS COMPOUNDS

In this paper, the antibacterial activity against Bacillus pumilus, St aphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa of th e wool fabrics treated with new antimicrobial bis-quaternary surfactan ts, DABK and DABB, is studied. The activity was established on the bas is of the agar diffusion and protective antibacterial test results and on the basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, The r esults were compared with the HTAB, a monoquaternary surfactant of con ventional use, The results from the agar diffusion and protective anti bacterial tests do not enable us to confirm whether these compounds ar e potentially useful antimicrobial agents for the protection of textil es. However, SEM observations show clearly the efficacy of these compo unds to protect the wool fabrics against the micro-organisms. SEM has been a useful technique for the assessment of antibacterial activity i n textiles.