Benign development of cotton with antibacterial activity and metal sorpability through introduction amino triazole moieties and AgNPs in cotton structure pre-treated with periodate

•4-Amino-1,2,4-triazole treated cellulose fabrics was prepared and characterized.•Silver nanoparticles was synthesized using a biological compound (licorice root extract).•Data were investigated through Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin sorption isotherm models.•Fabrics was evaluated for their thermal property, antibacterial activity and sorption models.•Fabrics show a good result against antibacterial activity and good result with thermal property. The research work presented herein was undertaken with a view to develop, characterize and highlight modified cotton fabrics that acquire durable antibacterial activity in concomitant with high metal sorption capacity. The development is based on reacting cotton cellulose previously oxidized by sodium periodate-with 4 amino-1,2,4 triazole in presence and absence of silver nano particles (AgNPs). The idea behind the periodate pretreatment is to convert (via oxidative cleavge) the 2,3-vicinal diol of the anhydroglucose units of cotton into aldehyde groups. The latter are easily reacting with the triazole groups in the modified cotton. On the other hand AgNPs were fabricated as per the reduction method using bio-material extracted from the root of licorice. By virtue of its reducing action, the bio-material converts Ag+ ions to Ag0 atom which is also stabilized Ag the bio-material in the form of cluster which is the agregate of about 5 Ag0. The clusters are cropped with the stabilizer thus forming silver nanoparticles. Measurement of the particle size displays a value of 8.7nm. Charactrisation of triazole treated cotton fabrics reveals the presence of the triazole moieties inside the structure of cotton. Furthermore, Fabrictreated with triazole in presence and absence of AgNPs exhibits a relatively high antibacterial activity against gram-negative tested bacteria (E. coli) as compared to that of gram-positive tested bacteria (S. aureus). The metal sorption of triazole treated cotton fabrics was higher than those of untreated or periodate pretreated fabric due to the increase in nitrogen centers created along the cellulose chains. Experimental data were accomplished through Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin sorption isotherm models. It was shown that sorption follows Langmuir isotherm model and suggests that the innovative fabric in question can adsorb metal ions from polluted dye bath.