The Antimicrobial Behavior of Polyelectrolyte Chitosan-Styrene Maleic Anhydride Nano Composites

A new antimicrobial polyelectrolyte polymer was prepared based on chitosan and alternating styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer. The SMA was subjected to alkaline hydrolysis, followed by blending with chitosan and chitosan in the nano form which has been prepared by self-assembly technique with particle size 46±0.08 nm. The composition was investigated and characterized by spectral and, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The nano polyelectrolyte complexes and composite were screened for their antimicrobial behavior and showed excellent antifungal as well as antibacterial efficacy against four bacterial and fungal strains. The hydrolyzed styrene maleic anhydride-nano-chitosan exhibited higher antimicrobial activity than the hydrolyzed styrene maleic anhydride-chitosan.