A study of the antibacterial activity and stability of dyed cotton fabrics modified with different forms of silver

Abstract

This study compares the effect of colloidal silver nanoparticles and the commercial RUCO-BAC AGP agent with silver chloride as the active component on the antibacterial activity of dyed cotton fabrics. Cotton fabrics were dyed with vat dyes Bezanthren Olive T and Bezanthren Grey FFB. The antibacterial activities of the silver-loaded dyed cotton fabrics were tested against the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. Unlike RUCO-BAC AGP, the synthesized silver nanoparticles deposited onto the dyed cotton fabrics provided maximum bacteria reduction, independent of the applied dye. The stability of the modified cotton fabrics was analyzed in artificial sweat at pH 5.5 and 8.0. Approximately the same amount of silver was released from the differently modified cotton fabrics in artificial sweat. Larger amounts of silver were released in the sweat at pH 8.0.