Polycomplexes to modulate bactericidal activity of cetylpyridinium bromide

Cetylpyridinium bromide, a quaternary ammonium surfactant, was electrostatically complexed with an excess of anionic polymers such as biodegradable sodium alginate or non-biodegradable sodium polyacrylate. The binding of surfactant with alginate delivered polymer–surfactant complexes capable of killing both more surfactant-sensitive Escherichia coli and less surfactant-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, while the binding with acrylate gave complexes active only against Escherichia coli. The results obtained show a way for adjustment of the antimicrobial formulation to a specific pathogen to be destroyed.