Chitosan (Cs) is a ubiquitous biopolymer owing to its biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility. However, the widespread applications of Cs are limited owing to the existence of strong inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonds within its network. With this concern, we regenerated medium-molecular-weight Cs to enhance the physicochemical and functional properties using a cationic approach. Accordingly, a facile alkaline modification was employed to tailor the amine functional groups of Cs via the disintegration of inter- and intra-hydrogen bonds. The 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis confirmed the presence of NH3+ or NH4+ on the regenerated chitosan (RCs) surface. Additionally, RCs exhibited low crystallinity in X-ray diffraction, which can be attributed to the repulsive force caused by the positive surface charge and the destruction of hydrogen bonds. The RCs exhibited a strong free radical scavenging ability (87.32%), which was remarkably higher than that of Cs (45.26%). Furthermore, the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of RCs against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was significantly improved; the MICs of RCs were reduced by almost four times compared with those of Cs. The superior functional properties of RCs can be attributed to the formation of a polycationic structure after alkaline modification; thus, RCs can be introduced as potent agents for various biomedical purposes.

Newly regenerated chitosan: Enhancement of antimicrobial and antioxidant activities for biomedical applications

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ACS Fall 2022

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