Synthesis, Antimicrobial Activity and Thermal Properties of the Derivatives Obtained from Reaction of Acetyl Salicylc Acid and Some Amino Acids

COMPARISON OF DISK DIFFUSION, AGAR DILUTION, AND

BROTH MICRODILUTION FOR ANTIMICROBIAL

SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTING OF FIVE CHITOSANS

A Thesis

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the

Louisiana State University and

Agricultural and Mechanical College

in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

Master of Science

in

The Department of Food Science

by

Lin Jiang

B.S., Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, China, 2009

August 2011

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my deep appreciation to my advisors Drs. Beilei Ge and Witoon

Prinyawiwatkul, for their support, encouragement, and helpful guidance throughout my M. S.

study. Their intelligence, enthusiasm, inspiration and academic perspectives impressed me

immensely. Also I want to thank Dr. Zhimin Xu, as my committee member, who gave me

valuable suggestions and support on this project.

I also would like to thank all of my lab-mates, Dr. Feifei Han, Mr. Fei Wang, Ms. Qianru

Yang and Ms. Siyi Chen for their consistent support. A special thank for Dr. Feifei Han and Mr.

Fei Wang, who gave me a great deal of suggestions and help for completion of my project in

chitosan preparation, bacteria preparation and the methods to do antimicrobial susceptibility

testing. Without their help, I could never finish this time-consuming and labor intensive project

promptly and efficiently.

Lastly, I want to express my deep gratitude to my families, my father Mr. Hongqi Jiang

and my mother Ms. Guihua Wang, who have given me their love, encouragement and invaluable

supports in my M.S. study in the U.S., both mentally and financially. In addition, I would

express my deep appreciation to my loving, supportive, encouraging and patient husband Mr.

Jian Zhang, who accompanied me during my final stage of M. S. study.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture

Special Grants for financially supporting this interesting project.

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