Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of modified cellulose-graft-polyacrylonitrile with some aromatic aldehyde derivatives

Antimicrobial grafted cellulose materials have been elaborated by the grafting of acrylonitrile onto cellulose by the use of KMnO₄/citric acid initiation method followed by the amination reaction with ethylenediamine. The aminated grafted cellulose was reacted with some aromatic aldehyde derivatives. The grafted cellulose, aminated grafted cellulose and its derivatives were characterized by FT-IR and solid state NMR spectra. These modified cellulose materials displayed antimicrobial activity against representative some strains of bacteria and fungi. In the presence of aminated grafted cellulose or its derivatives, the growth inhibition reached almost 100% with the fungal species. The modified grafted cellulose derivatives (EDA MC-g-PAN II and EDA MC-g-PAN III) were challenged with Bacillus subtilis as a function of contact time. The biocidal results showed that these derivatives have bactericidal effect against the bacterial species.