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Published on: December 27, 2016
Antibacterial surfaces on expanded polytetrafluoroethylene; penicillin attachment
Nattharika Aumsuwan1, Sabine Heinhorst, Marek W Urban
1School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, Shelby F. Thames Polymer Science Research Center, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406, USA.
Biomacromolecules
|February 13, 2007
Summary
Chemically modified expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) surfaces with penicillin (PEN) demonstrate potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. This novel approach offers a promising strategy for developing antimicrobial materials.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Surface Chemistry
- Microbiology
Background:
- Healthcare-associated infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus are a significant concern.
- Current antimicrobial strategies often face challenges with resistance and material compatibility.
- Developing novel antimicrobial surfaces for medical devices is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To chemically modify expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) surfaces to create effective antimicrobial properties.
- To investigate the attachment of penicillin (PEN) to ePTFE via polyethylene glycol (PEG) linkers.
- To evaluate the efficacy of these modified surfaces against Staphylococcus aureus growth.
Main Methods:
- Microwave plasma treatment of ePTFE with maleic anhydride (MA) to introduce acid functional groups.
- Esterification of functionalized ePTFE with linear polyethylene glycol (PEG) of 200 and 600 molecular weights.
- Etherification of PEGylated ePTFE with penicillin (PEN) to create antimicrobial surfaces.
- Surface characterization using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR).
- Antibacterial activity assessment by quantifying Staphylococcus aureus growth via % absorbance at 600 nm.
Main Results:
- Successful chemical modification of ePTFE surfaces was confirmed by ATR FT-IR, showing ester linkages.
- Penicillin-PEG-MA-ePTFE specimens exhibited significantly reduced Staphylococcus aureus growth compared to controls.
- The modified ePTFE surfaces demonstrated highly effective antibacterial activity against gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus.
Conclusions:
- This study presents a novel method for creating penicillin-grafted ePTFE surfaces with potent antimicrobial properties.
- The developed PEN-PEG-MA-ePTFE material shows promise for applications requiring resistance to Staphylococcus aureus colonization.
- This represents a significant advancement in developing effective antimicrobial biomaterials.
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