Abstract

The retention properties for metal ions, the maximum retention capacity, the antibacterial and mutagenic activity of water-soluble metal ion complexes from water-soluble poly[2-hydroxy-(3-methacryloyloxypropyl)aminodiacetic acid] P(HMPADA) were studied. HMPADA was synthesized by radical polymerization in aqueous solution. The water-soluble polymer (WSP) P(HMPADA), containing ester, hydroxy, tertiary amine, and two carboxylic acid groups in every monomeric unit was investigated as polychelatogen in view of its potential metal ion binding properties using the liquid-phase polymer based retention (LPR) technique under different experimental conditions. The water-soluble complexes were investigated as biocides. Metal ions investigated at pH 3, 5, and 7 were: Ag+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Al3+, Cr3+, and Fe3+. Depending on pH, P(HMPADA) showed a different interaction affinity, where the highest interaction occurred at pH 7. Polymer-metal ion interaction showed the following affinity order: tri-valent >di-valent >mono-valent ion. Maximum retention capacity (MRC) ranged between 17.2 and 342.2 mg metal ion/g polymer for Cu2+ and Ag+, respectively. FT-IR showed a variation in νC{double bond, long}O, νΟ-C{double bond, long}O, νOH absorption signals, and Far-IR showed new signals corresponding to metal-O and metal-N interaction, indicating a participation of carboxylic acid, amine, and hydroxy groups of polymer-metal ion complexes. Antibacterial activity of Ag+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ complexes were studied. These complexes presented a higher biocide activity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) than for Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) with a lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 mg/mL for polymer-Cd2+ complex. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the interaction between polymer-metal ion complexes and bacteria surface. All samples showed low genotoxic activity. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.