Characterization, surface properties and biological activity of new prepared cationic surfactants

Three cationic surfactants were prepared. A condensation reaction between dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA) and benzaldehyde was performed. The produced Schiff base was quaternization with three fatty alkyl bromide with different carbon chain length separately to form the desired cationic surfactants. The chemical structure of synthesized cationic surfactants was confirmed by FTIR, 1H NMR and mass spectroscopy. It was found that the chemical structure of prepared compounds has an effect on surface properties, where increasing the hydrophobic chain length decrease the values of CMC, Гmax while Amin value was increased. The thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption and micellization processes are spontaneous. It is clear that the prepared cationic surfactants at first tend to adsorb at surface, then it aggregate to form micelle. The prepared surfactants showed good biological activity against gram positive and negative bacteria and fungi in the following order of II (C12) > I (C10) > III (C16). The serial dilution method was used to evaluate the inhibiting effect of these compounds on the sulfate reducing bacteria growth.