Abstract
Triclosan antimicrobial molecular fluctuating energies of nonbonding electron pairs for the oxygen atom by ether bond rotations are reviewed with conformational computational chemistry analyses. Subsequent understanding of triclosan alternating ether bond rotations is able to help explain several material properties in Polymer Science. Unique bond rotation entanglements between triclosan and the polymer chains increase both the mechanical properties of polymer toughness and strength that are enhanced even better through secondary bonding relationships. Further, polymer blend compatibilization is considered due to similar molecular relationships and polarities. With compatibilization of triclosan in polymers a more uniform stability for nonpolar triclosan in the polymer solid state is retained by the antimicrobial for extremely low release with minimum solubility into aqueous solution. As a result, triclosan is projected for long extended lifetimes as an antimicrobial polymer additive. Further, triclosan rapid alternating ether bond rotations disrupt secondary bonding between chain monomers in the resin state to reduce viscosity and enhance polymer blending. Thus, triclosan is considered for a polymer additive with multiple properties to be an antimicrobial with additional benefits as a nonpolar toughening agent and a hydrophobic wetting agent. The triclosan material relationships with alternating ether bond rotations are described through a complete different form of medium by comparisons with known antimicrobial properties that upset bacterial cell membranes through rapid fluctuating mechanomolecular energies. Also, triclosan bond entanglements with secondary bonding can produce structural defects in weak bacterial lipid membranes requiring pliability that can then interfere with cell division. Regarding applications with polymers, triclosan can be incorporated by mixing into a resin system before cure, melt mixed with thermoplastic polymers that set on cooling into a solid or alternatively applied as a coating through several different methods with dissolving into an organic solvent and dried on by evaporation as a common means.
Highlights
Triclosan is a trichlorinated diphenyl ether antimicrobial with one hydroxyl group, Figure 1
The interface between a cell membrane and biologic fluid should create microenvironmental conditions for triclosan to produce an exaggerated form of free mechanomolecular energy
Triclosan can structure a cell membrane by bond rotation entanglements or secondary bonding to create a defect that reduces membrane pliability needed by bacteria during cell division
Summary
Triclosan is a trichlorinated diphenyl ether antimicrobial with one hydroxyl group, Figure 1. Triclosan is nonpolar as a sparingly soluble molecule in water at 0.001 grams/100 grams water (10−5 g/mL) [1,2,3] and soluble in most organic solvents [1,2,3]. Because triclosan is a nonpolar molecule the majority of chemical interactions result from secondary bonding available through the ether oxygen and phenyl hydroxyl functional groups. Triclosan is the most studied antimicrobial concerning bacterial resistance [2]. No epidemiological data exists demonstrating any association between triclosan and bacterial resistance in humans [2]. Triclosan is bacteriostatic to prevent microbes from growing at low concentrations by inhibiting an enzyme involved in fatty acid synthesis [2,3]. Triclosan is bactericidal to kill microbes directly at higher concentrations by destabilizing bacterial membranes and by introducing intercalating defects into a bacterial membrane [2]
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