title: A new route for chitosan immobilization onto polyethylene surface.
abstract: Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) belongs to commodity polymer materials applied in biomedical applications due to its favorable mechanical and chemical properties. The main disadvantage of LDPE in biomedical applications is low resistance to bacterial infections. An antibacterial modification of LDPE appears to be a solution to this problem. In this paper, the chitosan and chitosan/pectin multilayer was immobilized via polyacrylic acid (PAA) brushes grafted on the LDPE surface. The grafting was initiated by a low-temperature plasma treatment of the LDPE surface. Surface and adhesive properties of the samples prepared were investigated by surface analysis techniques. An antibacterial effect was confirmed by inhibition zone measurements of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The chitosan treatment of LDPE led to the highest and most clear inhibition zones (35 mm(2) for E. coli and 275 mm(2) for S. aureus).
authors.affiliation: Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 842 36 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popelka
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Novák
authors.forename: Marián
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lehocký
authors.forename: Ita
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Junkar
authors.forename: Miran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mozetič
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleinová
authors.forename: Ivica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janigová
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slouf
authors.forename: František
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bílek
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chodák
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020959:Polyethylene; D048271:Chitosan