Glycopolymer N-halamine-modified biochars with high specificity for Escherichia coli eradication

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria contamination in environments imposes great threats to human life health. This research aims to develop novel targeted antibacterial biochars for achieving high selectivity to kill pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). The glycopolymer N-halamine-modified biochars (i.e., BCPMA-Cl) were synthesized by the modification of biochars with poly[2-(methacrylamido) glucopyranose-co-acrylamide] (P(MAG-co-AM), followed by chlorination treatment. Based on the results of FTIR, turbidity, XPS, and UV-vis, BCPMA-Cl was successfully synthesized and demonstrated to be able to eliminate Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and E. coli. Especially, BCPMA-Cl possessed extremely potent to specific-killing 10(4) CFU.ml(-1) of E. coli with lower hemolytic activity (<5%). Additionally, the antibacterial mechanisms of BCPMA-Cl against bacteria were contact-killing and release-killing contributed by active chlorine (i.e., Cl+). Therefore, this work provided a cost-effective and facile approach for preparation of functional biochars used for bacteria-specific therapeutic applications via livestock pollutants as well as showing a promising strategy to avoid bacterial resistance. (C) 2021 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The research developed novel targeted antibacterial biochars with high selectivity to kill pathogenic Escherichia coli and lower hemolytic activity. The antibacterial mechanisms of the biochars were contact-killing and release-killing contributed by active chlorine.