title: The fungicidal properties of the carbon materials obtained from chitin and chitosan promoted by copper salts.
abstract: Renewable raw materials chitin and chitosan (N-deacetylated derivative of chitin) were subjected to action of different copper modifiers that were carbonized in the atmosphere of the N2 inert gas. As a result of the novel manufacturing procedure, a series of carbon materials was obtained with developed surface area and containing copper derivatives of differentiated form, size, and dispersion. The copper modifier and manufacturing procedure (concentration, carbonization temperature) influence the physical-chemical and fungicide properties of the carbons. The received carbons were chemically characterized using several methods like low-temperature adsorption of nitrogen, X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, elemental analysis, and bioassay. Besides chemical testing, some biological tests were performed and let to select carbons with the highest fungicidal activity. Such carbons were characteristic of the specific form of copper derivatives occurring in them, i.e., nanocrystallites of Cu(0) and/or Cu2O of high dispersion on the surface of carbon. The carbons may find an application as effective contact fungistatic agents in cosmetology, medicine, food industry, etc.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland. Electronic address: annakucinska@o2.pl.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilnicka
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walczyk
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 7 Gagarina St., 87-100 Torun, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lukaszewicz
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D064347:Microscopy, Electrochemical, Scanning; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D002686:Chitin; D002244:Carbon; D003300:Copper; D048271:Chitosan; C000520:cuprous oxide
keywords: Carbon materials; Chitin; Chitosan; Copper; Copper(I) oxide; Fungicidal properties