Antimicrobial behavior of ion-exchanged zeolite X containing fragrance

• Zeolite X crystals were ion-exchanged with Zn2+ and Cu2+.
• Zn2+ and Cu2+ loaded zeolite X crystals showed excellent antimicrobial activities against three bacteria, a yeast, and a fungus.
• Ion-exchanged zeolite X samples sustained antimicrobial activities after encapsulation process.

Microporous zeolites are aluminosilicates composed of silicon, aluminum, and oxygen in a framework with cations. The cation contents can be exchanged with metal ions in order to add antimicrobial (antibacterial, anticandidal, and antifungal) properties. Zeolites has also recently been acquainted with fragrance applications to tailor products with controlled release properties. Here, a new application of ion exchanged zeolite X combined with adsorption properties is presented. In this study, zeolite X crystals were ion-exchanged with Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions and encapsulation of a fragrance molecule, triplal, was studied using ion-exchanged zeolite X as a fragrance carrier. The antimicrobial behavior of ion-exchanged zeolite X before and after encapsulation were investigated by disc diffusion method. Zn2+ and Cu2+ loaded zeolite samples showed excellent antimicrobial activities against three bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a yeast Candida albicans and a fungus Aspergillus niger. Ion-exchanged zeolite X samples containing triplal sustained antimicrobial activities after the encapsulation process.

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