STUDY OF PYRIDINIUM-TYPE FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS - II - ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF SOLUBLE PYRIDINIUM-TYPE POLYMERS

The antibacterial activity of a series of soluble pyridinium-type poly mers with different compositions against Escherichia coli (E. coli) su spended in sterilized distilled water was investigated by a colony cou nt method. The results show that the antibacterial activity of the sol uble pyridinium-type polymers is characterized by their activity to ki ll bacterial cells and this activity can be enhanced as the content of the pyridinium group (C-q) in the polymers increases. The species of the bacteria has a great influence upon the antibacterial activity of the soluble pyridinium-type polymers. The polymers possess a strong ab ility to kill Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts, ex cepting Bacillus subtilis, having gemmae and fungi. The toxicity of th is kind of polymer has also been appraised. In the acute stimulation a nd allergy experiments, the red maculae, edema, and abnormal phenomena of an allergy on the skin of the tested animals were not Observed. Th e acute toxicity experiment shows that the LD50 of the polymer is 2330 mg/kg, implying that this bind of polymer has only very weak toxicity . This is significant for the application of soluble pyridinium-type p olymers. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.