PEREIRA, A. A.; PEREIRA, Anderson de Almeida.
Abstract:
It is known that health professionals and patients are the target of contamination
and hospital acquired infections, and their hospital clothing can carry patologic
agents responsable for causing these infections. Recent studies have shown
satisfactory results related to an antimicrobial activity provided by impregnation of
chitosan in cotton fabrics used to make hospital clothing. This work has been done
with the goal of perform a phisio-chemical and biological evaluation of the samples
impregnated with chitosan (concentration of 1% and 2%), to verify an
antimicrobial activity provided by chitosan application, as well as, to evaluate, if
after washing cycles, the samples of impregnated fabrics were able to maintain
their inicial physio-chemical characteristics. To verify if adequate impregnation of
chitosan occurred, and if there had been loss of chitosan after the washing and
drying steps, the samples were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning
Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). To
evaluate the antimicrobial activity, Screening tests (diffusion disks), Pour-Plate and
Microdilution were performed following the methods of the Clinical and Laboratory
Standards Institute (CLSI). The techniques of XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDS and
Swelling test indicated that samples of cotton fabrics were impregnated with
chitosan in concentrations of 1% and 2% and there was partial loss of
impregnated chitosan during washing and drying processes. The technique FTIR
showed the characteristic functional groups of cotton, chitosan, and indicated a
significant impregnation of 2% chitosan. The microbiological results indicated that
chitosan has antimicrobial activity and that the impregnated fabric samples
inhibited growth of microorganisms on the fabrics surface. With these results, one
glimpses to using chitosan on SMS fabric to create a disposable antimicrobial
surgical clothing. (single use only).