Antibacterial Water Filtration by Cationized or Chitosan Coated Cotton Gauze

Abstract

Communicable diseases can be transmitted by contaminated water and water decontamination process is fundamental to eliminate micro-organisms. In this work, cotton gauzes were coated with chitosan, using an UV-curing process, or cationized by introduction of quaternary ammonium groups and tested, in static and dynamic conditions, as water filter for biological disinfection against both Gram-negative and Gram- positive bacteria. With both treatments 100% microorganisms reduction was reached in static assessment, while in dynamic conditions better results were obtained by chitosan treated gauze, reaching 100% S.Aureus and K. Pneumoniae reduction with 4 s and 8 s contact time respectively. This substrate could be a good candidate for application as biological filter.