Synthesis and bactericidal evaluation of imide N-halamine-loaded PMMA nanoparticles

Imide N-halamine-loaded poly(methyl methacrylate) nanoparticles (PMMA) based on barbituric acid were synthesized as novel antimicrobial agents using radical copolymerization. Evidence for loading imide N-halamine on PMMA nanoparticles has been inferred from different techniques like 1H NMR, FTIR, TEM, SEM, and XPS analyses. The sterilizing effect of the products on bacterial strains was systematically evaluated by selecting Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as model pathogenic bacteria. The zone of inhibition study and the spread plate technique suggested that the imide N-halamine-loaded PMMA nanoparticles possessed powerful bactericidal activity towards both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The effects of contact period, N-halamine structure, particle size, and chlorine content on biocidal efficiency were investigated as well. Long-term stability of the imide N-halamine-loaded PMMA nanoparticles was also confirmed as a function of storage period.