Abstract

The aim of the present study was to develop bio-functional leather materials with antimicrobial activity by using chitosan (C) as a natural biocide. Chitosan formate (CF) solution was prepared and chrome-tanned leathers (TL) were treated with it at six different proportions (0.5-5.0%) to evaluate their physical and antimicrobial properties. The CF solution was examined for antibacterial and antifungal activity in vitro using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) and fungal inhibition test (%). CF-treated leather samples were also characterized for their antimicrobial activity by the agar diffusion method. The treated TL showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against all test organisms between proportions of 2.0 and 5.0%. The chemical structure of the prepared C, CF, TL and CFtreated TL was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The physical experimental results indicated that there was no noticeable change in the physical properties of the TL treated with CF