Metal ions with antimicrobial materials

Some antioxidants possess antimicrobial properties, such as propyl gallate and butylated hydroxy anisole, which are somewhat effective against bacteria. Butylated hydroxy toluene has demonstrated some antiviral activity. Compatibility of antioxidants with the drug, packaging system and the body should be studied carefully. For example, tocopherols may be absorbed onto plastics ascorbic acid is incompatible with alkalis, heavy metals, and oxidizing materials such as phenylephrine, and sodium nitrite and propyl gallate forms complexes with metal ions such as sodium, potassium and iron. 

A brief review is presented of the chemical stmctures of alginate and chitosan and their performances of novel biomaterials were compared. Their uses in wound-dressing materials are outlined and binding with metal ions and antimicrobial properties are mentioned. 13 refs. 

These biopolymers can be used for the immobilization of metal ions not only with the final objective of metal recovery (and subsequent valorization by desorption or chemical/thermal destmction of the polymer matrix) but also for elaborating new materials or designing new applications. Depending on the metal immobilized on the biopolymer, it is possible to design new sorbents (immobilization of iron on alginate [119], of molybdate on chitosan [59], for As(V) removal, of silver on chitosan for pesticide removal [120]), supports for affinity chromatography [121], antimicrobial material [122], drug release material [123], neutron capture therapy [124], and photoluminescent materials [125]. These are only a few... 

Metal ions. Chitosan is known to complex metal ions. The chelating ability of chitosan is superior compared to other known biopolymers [30]. This property is widely investigated for its use as sensors or filtration materials in heavy metal ion detection or separation [17, 20a, 31]. The binding of chitosan with metal ions is thought to provide donor atoms that may improve the antimicrobial activity of the material however, studies on this area are quite limited [32]. 

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