New Polymeric Films with Antibacterial Activity Obtained by UV-induced Copolymerization of Acryloyloxyalkyltriethylammonium Salts with 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate

Abstract

New polymeric films with antibacterial activity have been prepared, by simple UV-induced copolymerization of readily available ω-(acryloyloxy)-<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-triethylalcan-1-aminium bromides (or acryloyloxyalkyltriethylammonium bromides, AATEABs) with commercially available 2-hydroethyl methacrylate (HEMA), at different relative amounts. In particular, the antibacterial activity of polymeric films derived from 11-(acryloyloxy)-<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-triethylundecan-1-aminium bromide (or acryloyloxyundecyltriethylammonium bromide, AUTEAB; bearing a C-11 alkyl chain linker between the acrylate polymerization function and the quaternary ammonium moiety) and 12-(acryloyloxy)-<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-triethyldodecan-1-aminium bromide (or acryloyldodecyltriethylammonium bromide, ADTEB, bearing a C-12 alkyl chain linker) has been assessed against Gram-negative <i>Escherichia Coli</i> and Gram-positive <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> cells. The results obtained have shown a clear concentration-dependent activity against both bacterial strains, the films obtained from homopolymerization of pure AUTEAB and ADTEAB being the most effective. Moreover, ADTEAB-based films showed a higher antibacterial activity with respect to the AUTEAB-based ones. Interestingly, however, both types of films presented a significant activity not only toward Gram-positive <i>S. aureus</i>, but also toward Gram-negative <i>E. Coli</i> cells.