Among the interesting biological activities that have been
ascribed to chitosan, the antimicrobial activity is probably the one
that generates the higher number of applications. Developing
antimicrobial coatings for footwear components to be used in
direct contact with the feet is of great interest; both at industrial
level (reducing the possibility of material deterioration and quality
loss) and from the consumer’s point of view (decreasing skin
infections and minimizing unpleasant odours). One weakness of
this application is addressed to the durability and efficiency of the
product antimicrobial activity, since it is directly associated with
the availability of the positively charged R–NH3
+ groups that are
depleted during use
