This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ASM journals Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by MacKeen, P C Articles by Stevens, S E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by MacKeen, P C Articles by Stevens, S E, Jr

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1987 January; 31(1): 93-99

Silver-coated nylon fiber as an antibacterial agent.

P C MacKeen, S Person, S C Warner, W Snipes and S E Stevens Jr

ABSTRACT

A blend of nylon fiber and silver-coated nylon fiber (the latter known as X-static) was used in these experiments. This fiber was bactericidal when bacteria were exposed to it directly or to an extract derived from its prior incubation in salt solution. At ambient temperatures, a rapid exponential decrease of survival occurred, usually after a delay of approximately 1 h. The rate of killing (decrease of survival) increased with an increase in X-static percentage of the fiber blend, temperature of fiber extraction, concentration of Tris buffer present during extraction, and temperature at which bacteria were exposed to the extract. When bacteria were exposed to the extract at 37 degrees C as opposed to ambient temperature, there was no delay in onset of killing. Escherichia coli was generally the indicator organism tested, but comparable results were also found for Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus species. The rate of killing increased with increasing silver ion concentration of the fiber extract, as determined through atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The rate of killing was greater and the onset was earlier with an extract containing silver ions from fiber than with a salt solution containing the same concentration of silver ions from silver nitrate. Studies of the kinetics of ion release suggested that X-static may be an effective, sustained-release antibacterial agent.

---

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1987 January; 31(1): 93-99

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Li, C., Zhang, X., Whitbourne, R. (1999). In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of a New Antiseptic Central Venous Catheter. J Biomater Appl 13: 206-223 [Abstract]