Quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-grafted agarose copolymers for multipurpose antibacterial applications

Polymeric quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) have been widely studied for their antimicrobial activities. However, most of them were evaluated and used in solution form, which may limit their other applications, in medical and wound care and surface biofouling prevention. The development of antibacterial agents for use both in solution and in surface biofouling prevention are highly interesting and desirable. In this work, quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-grafted agarose (Agr-g-QPDMAEMA) copolymers were synthesized via a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and quaternization of tertiary amine moieties. The resulting Agr-g-QPDMAEMA copolymers can be dissolved in aqueous media at low concentrations to evaluate their antibacterial activity in the solution form. They can also be gelated as hydrogels on substrate surfaces to inhibit bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation and bacterial colonization. The Agr-g-QPDMAEMA copolymer hydrogels can be further fabricated into antibacterial patches to inhibit the bacteria growth on the contaminated surfaces.