Preparation and application of organophosphorus dimers as antimicrobial agents for bagasse packaging paper

Abstract

Organophosphorus aniline and p-toluidine dimers were prepared and utilized as antimicrobial coating for bagasse paper sheets. Bagasse paper sheets coated with 1,3-diaryl-2,2,2,4,4,4-hexachlorocyclodiphosph(V)azane (where aryl is aniline or p-toluidine) demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus), Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris), yeasts (Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fungi (Aspergillus Niger). The antimicrobial activity attained for the bagasse paper sheets coated with the prepared organophosphorus dimers was attributed to the presence of chlorine and phosphorus atoms, in addition to the lone pair of electrons on nitrogen atoms, in the structure of the dimers. The optimum inhibitory activity of the bagasse paper sheets coated with organophosphorus dimers was obtained at 250 mg/mL, for the aniline dimer, and at 250-300 mg/mL, for the p-toluidine dimer, against most of the tested microorganisms. p-Toluidine was found to be superior to aniline in terms of their antimicrobial activity against the investigated microorganisms.