Preparation of Dialdehyde Cellulose and Its Antibacterial Activity

Dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) with varied aldehyde contents were prepared from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) by periodate oxidation for different reaction time. The structure and thermal stabilities of the DAC and MCC were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The double dilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the DAC aqueous suspension. It was shown that the products contained dialdehyde group and could reduce thermal stability. DAC with different aldehyde contents exhibited antibacterial activities to four types of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. The dialdehyde functions from the oxidation reaction endowed the product with a significantly high chemical activity and antibacterial properties. The proposed composite has great potential for using as an antibacterial material.