Effect of Solvent on Physico-Chemical Properties and Antibacterial Activity of Chitosan Membranes

Abstract Chitosan is widely used in various applications such as pharmaceutical, medical, wastewater treatment (WWTR), and antibacterial. Modifying chitosan's properties is still attractive in scientific and industrial research. The acid solvation effect on the antibacterial activity (ABA) and physico-chemical properties of chitosan membranes synthesized via the solution casting-solvent evaporation technique was investigated. Various acids such as acetic, ascorbic, citric, glycolic, maleic, oxalic, and tartaric acid were used as chitosan solvents and membrane properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) in order to study chemical interaction between the acid solvent and the shift of carbonyl and amine groups. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), static swelling, membrane thickness, and tensile strength experiments also characterized the membranes' physical, chemical, and thermal properties. Further, the effect of acid solvation on the ABA of chitosan membranes for WWTR was interrogated with Escherichia coli and acetic acid solvated chitosan membrane exhibited highest ABA (99%). Keywords: Biocidebiopolymerchitosan membrane Escherichia coli organic acidwastewater treatment Notes Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/gpom.