Antimicrobial activity of poly(vinyl alcohol)-poly(acrylic acid) electrospun nanofibers

Electrospun nanofibers were prepared from blends of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The fibers were stabilized by heat curing at 140°C via anhydride and ketone formation and crosslinking esterification. The antimicrobial effect was assessed using strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by tracking their capacity to form colonies and their metabolic impairment upon contact with PAA/PVA membranes. Membranes containing >35wt.% PAA displayed significant antibacterial activity, which was particularly high for the gram-positive S. aureus. All membranes were negatively charged, with surface ζ-potential in the (-34.5)-(-45.6)mV range, but the electrostatic interaction with the negatively charged cells was not the reason for the antimicrobial effect. Neither pH reduction nor the passing of non-crosslinked polymers to the solution affected microbial growth. The antibacterial activity was attributed to the chelation of the divalent cations stabilizing the outer cell membrane. The effect on gram-positive bacteria was attributed to the destabilization of the peptidoglycan layer. The sequestration of divalent cations was demonstrated with experiments in which calcium and a chelating agent were added to the cultures in contact with membranes. The damage to bacterial cells was tracked by measuring their surface charge and the evolution of intracellular calcium during the early stages after contact with PAA/PVA membranes.