Selenization of cotton products with NaHSe endowing the antibacterial activities

Selenization reaction with the in situ prepared NaHSe has been successfully developed to occur in aqueous solution. The technique affords a method to upload the bioactive Se element on cotton products in semi-industrial scale. The antibacterial tests revealed that the selenized cotton possessed a potent and prolonged antimicrobial effect against both Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli bacteria. This work discloses a practical method for preparing the selenium-containing antibacterial materials concisely and directly with industrial application potential.