Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Triclosan Grafted onto Cellulosic Fibers

With the increased risk of disease transmissions and cross-infection caused by microorganisms, the control of microbial infections becomes a very important issue in modern societies. Moreover, with the emergence of antibio-resistant bacterial strains, it is necessary to control the bacterial growth. One of ways to limit the bacterial proliferation is to develop antimicrobial surfaces. The present work describes the synthesis process of a direct linking of propargyled Triclosan to a modified Kraft Pulp. Propargylated Triclosan, and azidated Kraft Pulp were linked in the presence of Cu(I) catalyst, a type of Huisgen’s 1,3-dipolar azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction, leading to the formation of Triclosan linked to kraft Pulp fibers. The modified Kraft Pulp fibers are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This novel material has been investigated for its antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The developed material showed an important antibacterial activity. Although Triclosan is covalently grafted onto Kraft Pulp, its antibacterial properties are maintained.