Abstract

Halogenated organic complexes containing chromium as metal chelate, prepared by solvent extraction method were studied for antimicrobial activity. Solutions of the complexes were prepared with alcohol, acetone and chloroform and used in the study. Preliminary screening was done by disc diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentration and phenol co-efficient of the complexes was studied by tube dilution method. Of the 15 complexes studied (5 from each of CI, Br and F), tetraphenyl phosphonium halochrornate and tetraphenyl arsonium halochromate were found to be effective against 9 pathogenic bacterial strains that include Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexnerae, Shigella boyedii, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio cholerae. The fluoro-substituted complexes of chromium and arsenic were found to be most effective among the three halogenated organic complexes. The phenol co-efficient of the above two complexes was determined to be 1.60.