Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry, Vol. 75, No. 12, 2002, pp. 1960 1964. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii, Vol. 75, No. 12, 2002,
pp. 1997 2001.
Original Russian Text Copyright
2002 by Stavitskaya, Goba, Kartel’.
SORPTION
AND ION-EXCHANGE PROCESSES
Preparation and Antimicrobial Properties of Chlorinated
Carbon Materials
S. S. Stavitskaya, V. E. Goba, and N. T. Kartel’
Institute of Sorption and Endoecology Problems, Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Ukraine
Received March 25, 2002
Abstract Antimicrobial preparations based on anthracite and carbon fabric and prepared by chlorination
were studied as influenced by the moisture content of sorbent, its bulk weight, chlorination temperature, etc.
Preparation of efficient antimicrobial materials
based on solid sorbents, polymers, and fibrous ma-
terials is an urgent problem. Such materials can be
obtained as granules, powders, pellets, plates, etc.
They are especially important for local water treat-
ment and can be used in development of new proce-
dures for the water treatment which would be more
progressive than the reagent water treatment, etc.
Materials of this kinds both bactericidal,1 ensuring
death of bacteria upon contact, and bacteriostatic, hin-
dering growth and reproduction of bacteria, antimicro-
bial composites are based on cellulose and some other
fibers, polymers, and activated carbons [1 3]. The an-
timicrobial efficiency is imparted either by impregna-
tion of appropriate materials with active chemical
preparations or by chemical modification of the prep-
aration, introduction of appropriate functional groups,
cations, or anions into the sorbent (fiber) skeleton or
surface. In the latter case, stronger grafting of antimi-
crobial material to the support is achieved.
ical of composites with ionic, labile covalent, or co-
ordination bonding, whereas in the case of strong co-
valent bonding no antibacterial activity is observed.
The aim of this study was to prepare water disin-
fectants based on charcoal and other carbon materials
(activated carbons, carbon fibers) and to evaluate their
antimicrobial effectiveness. It should be noted that
the antibacterial activity has been observed previously
for pure activated carbons [2, 3], which is probably
due to sorption of bacteria onto the developed sorbent
surface. To improve the antibacterial effect, activated
carbon or carbon fiber was impregnated with drugs
(e.g., antibiotics) or some other appropriate com-
pounds [2, 4]. Activated carbon with silver additives
is used in the known domestic Rodnik unit for addi-
tional purification and disinfection of water, in mobile
compact installations, and in special-purpose filters;
activated carbons impregnated with silver and other
antimicrobial additives are widely used for water treat-
ment on airplanes and ships [2]. The possibility of
preparing antimicrobial materials by chlorination of
anthracite and other coals has also been studied. As
known [5], chlorination is the most widely used pro-
cedure for water disinfection. The disinfection effect
of chlorine is based on oxidation and breakdown of
compounds in the photocytoplasm of bacteria, which
causes their death. Water is often treated with gaseous
chlorine or compounds containing active chlorine,
e.g., chloride lime, hypochlorite, chloramine, etc.
Thus, it is believed that the chlorine sorbed or grafted
on the carbon surface, or possibly incorporated in
the surface compounds or skeleton would also exhibit
antimicrobial activity. No published data on biological
(bactericidal, bacteriostatic) activity of chlorinated
carbon materials could be found. At the same time,
Various antimicrobial modifying agents (silver, cop-
per, and mercury salts, antibiotics, heteroorganic com-
pounds, etc.) have been studied [1]. It has been found
that the antimicrobial activity is largely determined by
the type of bonding between the modifying agent and
support, the highest antimicrobial activity being typ-
1
According to Regulations concerning Protection of Surface
Waters from Pollution, water in sources of potable and
public water consumption must contain no pathogenic or-
ganisms, and wastewaters should be disinfected after treat-
ment. The permissible content of Saprophyte and Escherichia
1
coli in potable water must not exceed 100 bacteria ml and
1
3 bacteria l , respectively [GOST (State Standard) 2374 73
Potable Water ].
1070-4272/02/7512-1960 $27.00 2002 MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica