Antibacterial activity of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide modified silver-bentonite

Organo-Ag-bentonite was prepared by the attachment of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on silver(A)g-exchanged bentonite. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and antibacterial assay was performed against Escherichia coli in different percentage of saline solutions through minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) method. Organo-Ag-bentonite showed higher antibacterial activity than organo-bentonite and Ag-bentonite especially in saline solution suggesting that the precipitation of AgCl in the presence of Ag-bentonite in saline solution could be avoided by the attachment of cationic surfactant on Ag-bentonite surfaces, hence increased their antibacterial activity