In the present work, different kinds of porous copolymer networks based on 2-vinylpyridine (2VP) and divinylbenzene (DVB) containing anchored iodine were prepared and evaluated for inactivating Escherichia coli in an aqueous medium. By using bacterial viability assays with E. coli (AB 1157, wild-type), the iodine bactericidal effect was investigated at room temperature by elution through short columns filled with copolymer beads. Saline solutions containing bacterial cells at several contents (10(2) to 10(7) cells/ mL) were eluted. After each elution, cell content viability was determined by plating these suspensions on nutritive agar plates, incubating them at 37 degreesC for 24 h, and counting as colony-forming units (CFUs). It was verified that the networks containing anchored iodine were completely bactericidal within a few minutes. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.