Abstract
Chitosan, a polymer of D-glucosamine, is known for its antimicrobial activity. However, the physicochemical properties of chitosan depend upon three principal factors, i.e., source of raw material, molecular weight and degree of deacetylation. Here, synthesis and characterization of chitosan oligomers is reported, which were prepared by the nitrous acid deaminative depolymerization of chitosan obtained from Sigma Aldrich and China (industrial grade). Subsequently, their antifungal activities were evaluated against selected basid-iomycetes. The nutrient medium bioassay results show that chitosans and chitosan oligomers affected mycelial growth to different magnitudes. Nevertheless, two of the low-MW chitosan oligomers completely inhibited the growth of all the tested fungi as compared to high-MW chitosan oligomers. Accordingly, antifungal activity increases by decreasing degree of polymerization of chitosan oligomers, which is divergent to literature data. The wood decay trial confirmed the antifungal activity of chitosan oligomers against basid-iomycetes. Chitosan is leachable by water.
©2012 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Original Papers
- Novel paper sizing agents based on renewables. Part 5: characterization of maleated oleates by ozonolysis
- Polythiophene-cellulose composites: synthesis, optical properties and homogeneous oxidative co-polymerization
- The influence of extended mercerization on some properties of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)
- Minimizing the effect of undesirable reactions in ECF bleaching
- A rheological description of the water vapour sorption kinetics behaviour of wood invoking a model using a canonical assembly of Kelvin-Voigt elements and a possible link with sorption hysteresis
- Changes in chemistry, color, dimensional stability and fungal resistance of Pinus radiata D. Don wood with oil heat-treatment
- Improvement of dimensional stability of wood via combination treatment: swelling with maleic anhydride and grafting with glycidyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate
- Synthesis and properties of resol-type phenol-formaldehyde resins prepared from H2SO4- and HCl-catalyzed phenol-liquefied Cryptomeria japonica wood
- Tack and shear strength of hybrid adhesive systems made of phenol-formaldehyde, dextrin and fish glue, and acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive
- Properties of thermally modified medium-density fibreboards
- Carbonaceous structural changes of wood induced by microwave irradiation
- Development of DNA-based methods to identify CITES-protected timber species: a case study in the Meliaceae family
- Fungal biodegradation of genetically modified and lignin-altered quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.)
- The effect of fiber dimensions on fiber network activation and tensile strength
- Preparation of chitosan oligomers and characterization: their antifungal activities and decay resistance
- Cellular and topochemical characteristics of secondary changes in bark tissues of beech (Fagus sylvatica)
- Short Notes
- A study by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the chemistry of the surface of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) modified by friction
- Comparative termite resistance of 12 Malaysian timber species in laboratory tests
- Meetings
- 10.1515/HF.2011.185
Articles in the same Issue
- Original Papers
- Novel paper sizing agents based on renewables. Part 5: characterization of maleated oleates by ozonolysis
- Polythiophene-cellulose composites: synthesis, optical properties and homogeneous oxidative co-polymerization
- The influence of extended mercerization on some properties of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)
- Minimizing the effect of undesirable reactions in ECF bleaching
- A rheological description of the water vapour sorption kinetics behaviour of wood invoking a model using a canonical assembly of Kelvin-Voigt elements and a possible link with sorption hysteresis
- Changes in chemistry, color, dimensional stability and fungal resistance of Pinus radiata D. Don wood with oil heat-treatment
- Improvement of dimensional stability of wood via combination treatment: swelling with maleic anhydride and grafting with glycidyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate
- Synthesis and properties of resol-type phenol-formaldehyde resins prepared from H2SO4- and HCl-catalyzed phenol-liquefied Cryptomeria japonica wood
- Tack and shear strength of hybrid adhesive systems made of phenol-formaldehyde, dextrin and fish glue, and acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive
- Properties of thermally modified medium-density fibreboards
- Carbonaceous structural changes of wood induced by microwave irradiation
- Development of DNA-based methods to identify CITES-protected timber species: a case study in the Meliaceae family
- Fungal biodegradation of genetically modified and lignin-altered quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.)
- The effect of fiber dimensions on fiber network activation and tensile strength
- Preparation of chitosan oligomers and characterization: their antifungal activities and decay resistance
- Cellular and topochemical characteristics of secondary changes in bark tissues of beech (Fagus sylvatica)
- Short Notes
- A study by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the chemistry of the surface of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) modified by friction
- Comparative termite resistance of 12 Malaysian timber species in laboratory tests
- Meetings
- 10.1515/HF.2011.185