Antibacterial Effects of Chitosan Powder: Mechanisms of Action

• Published in: Environmental technology Vol. 28; no. 12; pp. 1357 - 1363
• Main Authors: Andres, Y., Giraud, L., Gerente, C., Le Cloirec, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.2007; Selper; Taylor & Francis: STM, Behavioural Science and Public Health Titles
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY; Applied sciences; CHITIN; Chitin - chemistry; Chitin - pharmacology; CHITOSAN; Chitosan - chemistry; Chitosan - pharmacology; Decapoda; Enterococcus faecalis; Environmental Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Escherichia coli; Exact sciences and technology; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Positive Bacteria - drug effects; Homarus americanus; Membrane Potentials - drug effects; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; MORTALITY CONSTANT; Pollution; Powders; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Staphylococcus saprophyticus; Water Microbiology; Pseudomonadales; chitosan; Microbiology; Escherichia coli; Seafood; Extract; Pseudomonas; Antimicrobial agent; Cell wall; Powder; Macrura; Crustacea; Promoter; Pathogenic; Bacteria; Pseudomonadaceae; Antibacterial activity; Decapoda; Mechanism of action; Biological contamination; Shrimp; Enterobacteriaceae; chitin; Arthropoda; mortality constant; Disruption; Invertebrata; antibacterial activity
• ISSN: 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593332808618893

Chitosan, the deacetylated derivative of chitin, is a natural D-glucosamine polymer that can be extracted from the shells of seafood such as prawns crabs and lobsters. It can be used as a flocculent, plant disease resistant promoter, anti-cancer agent, wound healing promotion agent and antimicrobial agent. The aim of this paper is the study of the interaction between chitosan powder and various kinds of pathogen microorganisms potentially present in water. First of all, physico-chemical characterisations of chitin and chitosan powder were performed. The deacetylation yields were 35 %, 60 % and 80 ± 10 %. The experimental studies focused on the measurements of the mortality constant rate for various bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. An explanation of the antibacterial mechanisms is proposed involving the cell wall disruption due to free amino groups present in chitosan.