Study of fungicidal and antibacterial effect of the Cu(II)-complexes of thiophene oligomers synthesized in ZSM-5 zeolite channels

The influence of the Cu(II)-complexes of thiophene oligomers synthesized by oxidative polymerization of thiophene with Cu2+ ions in ZSM-5 zeolite chan nels on fungicidal and antimicrobial properties was studied. It has been fo und that the heterogeneous system culture medium-modified zeolite increases sporulation of the tested fungus (Aspergillus niger) and concurrently kill s yeast (Candida albicans). These effects are attributed to a slow release of Cu2+ ions and thiophene oligomers into the culture medium. As for the te sted bacteria (G(+) Staphylococcus aureus, G(-) Escherichia coli), the perc entage of the killed cells increases due to light activation of the system. The light effect is assigned to photogeneration of the reactive oxygen spe cies (ROS), mainly OH radicals, which were registered in the water solution by EPR spectroscopy. It has been confirmed that the thiophene oligomers pr esent in the Cu-ZSM-5 microstructure slow down the release of copper into t he medium. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.