Cationic starch iodophores

Cross-linked cationic starches N-(2-hydroxyl)propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium starch chloride (CQS chloride), N-(2-hydrox- yl)propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium starch iodide (CQS iodide), and N-(2-hydroxyl)propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium starch iodide-iodine (CQS triiodide) with the degree of substitution (DS) according to cationic groups from 0.04 to 0.62, as well as cross-linked starch-io- dine complexes were synthesized and tested as potential antibacterial agents. Cationic starch iodine derivatives were obtained during ion exchange reaction between CQS chloride and iodide or iodide-iodine anions in aqueous solutions. CQSDS� 0.3 chloride can form several types of iodine complexes, such as the blue amylose-iodine inclusion complex and ionic CQS þ I � � (I2)m complex (m � 1). The antibacterial activity of modified starches-iodine samples against different pathogenic bacterial cultures and contaminated water microorganisms was evaluated. CQS chloride and CQS iodide were found to be bacteriostatic. A strong antibacterial activity was characteristic of CQS triiodides in which molecular iodine is present in both ionic and inclusion complexes. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 128: 4346-4354, 2013