A Study on the Antibacterial Activity of Chitosan on the MRSA by the AATCC Test Method 100 and Modified AATCC Test Method 100

Water-soluble chitosan and water-insoluble chitosan with molecular weight of 2,000,000, 500,000, 80,000, and 40,000 with more than 90%of degree of deacetylation were produced to test antibacterial activity of chitosan against a pathogenic bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA). the AATCC Test Method 100and Modified AATCC Test Method 100 were used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of chitosan. Antibacterial activity of chitosan/acetic acid solution was the same when they were tested by two different methods, but those of polyester fabrics treated with chitosan/acetic acid solution were different in different antibacterial test. So several problems were found in the experimental methods. The AATCC Test Method 100 seems that excessive nutrition exists in inoculum solution by quantitative analysis on the basis the result of antibacterial activity on chitosan/acetic acid solution and amount of chitosan attached to the surface of treated fabrics.