Surface Functionalization of Cotton Fabric with Fluorescent Dendrimers, Spectral Characterization, Cytotoxicity, Antimicrobial and Antitumor Activity

Poly(propylenimine) dendrimers from first and third generations modified with 1,8-naphthalimide units and their Zn(II) complexes have been investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. These dendrimers have been deposited on a cotton cloth by the extraction method, producing yellow-colored textile materials. They have been characterized by defining their color coordinates L*a*b*, XYZ and xy. The antimicrobial activity of dendrimers has been investigated in vitro against model gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. Being deposited onto the surface of cotton fabric, the studied dendrimers reduced bacterial growth and prevented the formation of bacterial biofilm. Anticancer and cytotoxicity activities have also been performed against HeLa and Lep-3 human tumor cell lines as model systems.