Silver-Carboxylate Ion-Paired Alginate and Carboxymethylated Cotton with Antimicrobial Activity

摘要

Burn and chronic wounds are highly susceptible to infection. Silver has long been known to have antimicrobial properties and has been used extensively in treating burn wounds. Using a cation exchange technique, it was possible to impregnate commercially available alginate dressings and carboxymethylated cotton gauze and cotton printcloth with silver. The antimicrobial silver alginate dressings demonstrated high absorption of physiological saline solution and were effective against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcous aureus) and Gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumoniae) microbes. Additionally, the silver-bound printcloth retained antimicrobial activity following multiple launderings. Based on these findings, it is apparent that commercial alginate and cotton dressings impregnated with silver should have clinical promise in the prevention and treatment of infected wounds.