Improved antibacterial behavior of titanium surface with torularhodin–polypyrrole film

The problem of microorganisms attaching and proliferating on implants and medical devices surfaces is still attracting interest in developing research on different coatings based on antibacterial agents. The aim of this work is centered on modifying titanium (Ti) based implants surfaces through incorporation of a natural compound with antimicrobial effect, torularhodin (T), by means of a polypyrrole (PPy) film. This study tested the potential antimicrobial activity of the new coating against a range of standard bacterial strains: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The morphology, physical and electrochemical properties of the synthesized films were assessed by SEM, AFM, UV–Vis, FTIR and cyclic voltammetry. In addition, biocompatibility of this new coating was evaluated using L929 mouse fibroblast cells. The results showed that PPy–torularhodin composite film acts as a corrosion protective coating with antibacterial activity and it has no harmful effect on cell viability.