Preparation and antimicrobial activity of CS/PVA membranes containing silver nitrate

Chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CS/PVA) membranes containing silver nitrate have been prepared and investigated for antimicrobial properties of prepared membranes. CS/PVA membranes containing silver nitrate have been successfully prepared by solution casting method. The prepared membranes have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) methods. The elemental composition of the membranes is studied by energy dispersive analysis of SEM-EDX. Correspondingly, the EDX analysis confirms the presence of silver ions in the chitosan matrix. The antimicrobial activities of the membranes have been tested with wide spectrum of bacteria. Efficiency of the antimicrobial effect against the selected twelve bacteria type and two yeasts is measured by disc diffusion method. Effect of the concentration of silver solutions to the developed CS/PVA membranes was investigated. It is noticed that the antimicrobial activity of membranes is improved with the increased silver concentration as a bactericidal agent, as expected. Our observations suggest that Chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol/Ag (CS/PVA/Ag) membranes have an excellent antimicrobial effect. Thus, developed membranes can easily be applied in various fields such as biomedical sector, tissue engineering and water treatment sector.