LAUSR

Abstract The coordination compounds of thiosemicarbazones with transition metal cations possess biological activity. Usually, the biological activity of these substances is manifest in homogeneous systems, i.e. in solutions. At the same time, the substances remain in the system, polluting it. Being immobilized on cross-linked polymers, metal compounds with thiosemicarbazones do not pollute the medium in which they are used. In this work, a number of composites based on cross-linked polymers AV-17 and KB-4, cations Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Fe3+ Cr3+ and thiosemicarbazone-5-NO2 salicylic aldehyde (HL) were obtained and studied. The thermal behavior in air of all composites within the 25–700 °C temperature range was analyzed to determine the composition changes occurred and to assess their thermal stability. The antimicrobial and antifungal properties of composites AV-17 (HL-Zn2+), AV-17 (Cr-HL-Zn2+) and KB-4 (Zn2+-HL) were tested. It has been shown that these composites are able of destroying G+ bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, G− bacteria Escherichia coli and fungal Candida albicans. The effectiveness of composites in destroying Staphylococcus aureus decreases in the order: AV-17 (Cr3+-HL-Zn2+) > AV-17 (HL-Zn2+) > KB-4 (Zn2+-HL). In the destruction of Candida albicans the composites activity decreases according to the series: KB-4 (Zn2+-HL) > AV-17 (HL-Zn2+) = AV-17 (Cr3+-HL-Zn2+). The studied composites have activity against Escherichia coli: CB-4 (Zn2+-HL) > AV-17 (Cr3+-HL-Zn2+) > AV-17 (HL-Zn2+).