Biodegradability Properties Research Articles

A novel ternary magnetic nanobiocomposite based on tragacanth-silk fibroin hydrogel for hyperthermia and biological properties.

This study involves the development of a new nanocomposite material for use in biological applications. The nanocomposite was based on tragacanth hydrogel (TG), which was formed through cross-linking of Ca2+ ions with TG polymer chains. The utilization of TG hydrogel and silk fibroin as natural compounds has enhanced the biocompatibility, biodegradability, adhesion, and cell growth properties of the nanobiocomposite. This advancement makes the nanobiocomposite suitable for various biological applications, including drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering. Additionally, Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized in situ within the nanocomposite to enhance its hyperthermia efficiency. The presence of hydrophilic groups in all components of the nanobiocomposite allowed for good dispersion in water, which is an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of hyperthermia cancer therapy. Hemolysis and 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the nanobiocomposite for in-vivo applications. Results showed that even at high concentrations, the nanobiocomposite had minimal hemolytic effects. Finally, the hyperthermia application of the hybrid scaffold was evaluated, with a maximum SAR value of 41.2W/g measured in the first interval.

Synthesis of dioctyl sebacate catalysed by cellulose-immobilized lipase

Dioctyl sebacate is a long carbon chain dibasic acid ester with methylene as the main body. It is widely used in plasticizers because of its good cold resistance and high viscosity. And it has excellent properties of non-toxicity and easy biodegradation, so it can be used as a potential new green bio-based plasticizer. At present, most of the preparation methods of dioctyl sebacate are chemical methods, which have many by-products and cause environmental pollution. In this article, cellulose microspheres were used as a carrier to immobilize Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) to catalyse the esterification of sebacic acid and n-octanol to prepare dioctyl sebacate. Through single factor experiments, the lipase immobilized on cellulose microspheres was optimized to determine the best process conditions: add 500 µL CALB to the erlenmeyer flask, and then add 0.02 mol/L PBS buffer (pH 8.0). After being prepared into a 5 mL system, 0.1 g of cellulose microspheres were added as a carrier and reacted for 3 h at 35 °C and 180 r/min. Added 0.5 vt% polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDEG) to the system for crosslinking. The final immobilization rate of lipase immobilized on cellulose microspheres was 80.06%, and the enzyme activity was 288.07 U/g. Using the cellulose-immobilized lipase as a catalyst, in the toluene system, the molar ratio of n (sebacic acid)/n (n-octanol) substrate was 1:3.5, the amount of immobilized enzyme was 0.04 g, 4 Å molecular sieve 1.5 g, 40 °C, and 150 r/min for 30 h, the conversion rate of dioctyl sebacate was 76.45%.

Development of Smart Chopper Composting Monitoring System

Overconsumption of food can result in environmental pollution, making it a particularly concerning issue in modern civilization. In Malaysia, food waste is generated at a rate of 16,688 tonnes per day. Despite its biodegradation properties and strong composting potential, about 80% of food waste is still disposed of in landfills. Air, soil and water pollution are risks often associated with food waste disposal. Since two-thirds of total waste is avoidable, preventing the rise of household food waste should be a top priority, among which is through composting. This project aims to build a smart composter that can chop food waste and monitor the mixing of food waste to become mature compost. A DC motor controlled by the Arduino Mega microcontroller was used to spin the chopper blades to shred the food into smaller sizes. Temperature, moisture and pH sensors were used to measure the essential parameters to ensure that the food waste mix can become mature compost. The Liquid-crystal display was used to display the parameter value in real time to facilitate the monitoring process. A fan will be activated if the temperature reaches 60 oC to reduce the heat, followed by a solenoid valve to increase the moisture level by supplying water to the compost when the compost is dry. The sensors were also compared with commonly used measuring devices to assess the effectiveness of the sensors used. From the results, all the sensors used were reliable as displayed by a high percentage of accuracy with an average error percentage per sensor of 3.45% for temperature, 2.62% for moisture and 3.52% for pH. Several improvements can be made in the future to achieve smaller amounts of chopped food waste in lesser time, which can be done by reducing the distance between the chopper blade and the container, besides adding more blades.

Cellulose-based intelligent packaging films with antibacterial, UV-blocking, and biodegradable properties for shrimp freshness monitoring

The development of sustainable and functional packaging materials has become a very promising way to reduce pollution from traditional plastics. To address the shortcomings of natural materials with single function, poor antimicrobial and mechanical properties, and to develop more competitive green food packaging, a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose based multifunctional packaging film interspersed with wheat straw cellulose fibers (CF) and cellulose nanofibers (CNF) was proposed in this study, where CF and CNF increased the surface area of the film and loading capacity of the functional materials at the micrometer and nanometer levels, respectively. A biodegradable supramolecular polymer, polydiacetylene (PDA), was introduced into the film. Then, ZnO nanoparticles and PDA carboxylate head group coordination self-assembly strategy was utilized to build a PDA/Zn2+ intercalation composite structure, which was able to produce a highly sensitive specific response to biogenic amine and endowed the film with the ability of visual indication, as well as to effectively improve the film’s antimicrobial, ultraviolet light shielding, gas barrier, and water resistance properties. Moreover, the dense structure enables the film to withstand more than 50 reciprocal folds of nearly 180°, far exceeding that of ordinary packaging paper (about 10 folds). Composite packaging film enabled effective quality retention and spoilage monitoring of high protein products, especially shrimp with high biogenic amine release. This study provides a valuable reference for the application of supramolecular polymers, such as PDA, in food packaging materials, and gives a diversified development idea for plastic alternative packaging and multifunctional food packaging.

Engineering Pseudomonas chlororaphis HT66 for the Biosynthesis of Copolymers Containing 3-Hydroxybutyrate and Medium-Chain-Length 3-Hydroxyalkanoates.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are promising alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, owing to their biodegradability and superior material properties. Here, the controllable biosynthesis of scl-co-mcl PHA containing 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) and mcl 3-hydroxyalkanoates was achieved in Pseudomonas chlororaphis HT66. First, key genes involved in fatty acid β-oxidation, the de novo fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, and the phaC1-phaZ-phaC2 operon were deleted to develop a chassis strain. Subsequently, an acetoacetyl-CoA reductase gene phaB and a PHA synthase gene phaC with broad substrate specificity were heterologously expressed for producing and polymerizing the 3HB monomer with mcl 3-hydroxyalkanoates under the assistance of native β-ketothiolase gene phaA. Furthermore, the monomer composition of scl-co-mcl PHA was regulated by adjusting the amount of glucose and dodecanoic acid supplemented. Notably, the cell dry weight and scl-co-mcl PHA content reached 14.2 g/L and 60.1 wt %, respectively, when the engineered strain HT11Δ::phaCB was cultured in King's B medium containing 5 g/L glucose and 5 g/L dodecanoic acid. These results demonstrated that P. chlororaphis can be a platform for producing scl-co-mcl PHA and has the potential for industrial application.

Ultrafast-degradable and super-elastic PBAT/polybutylene succinate foam with stable cellular structure and enhanced thermal insulation

PBAT is considered a leading eco-friendly polymer known for its exceptional biodegradability and mechanical properties. However, the production of high-performance PBAT foam remains challenging owing to poor foaming ability and intrinsic shrinkage. Herein, this study presents a flexible approach to prepare super-elastic and ultrafast-degradable PBAT/polybutylene succinate (PBS) foams achieved by microcellular foaming with CO2 & N2 as co-blowing agents. Firstly, the SEM, FTIR, as well as XPS spectra, confirmed a uniform and miscible distribution of PBS. Further, the crystallization kinetics and rheological analysis demonstrated that PBS effectively promoted crystallization and molecular chain entanglement. Thus, the PBAT/PBS foam exhibited significantly refined cellular structure, higher expansion ratio of 20.3, and restricted shrinkage of less than 4 %. More importantly, compared with neat PBAT foam, the compression strength of PBAT/PBS foam was dramatically enhanced by 47.7 %, and the energy loss coefficient was pronouncedly reduced by 58.8 % under the expansion ratio of 15.0. Meanwhile, the PBAT/PBS foam showed a thermal conductivity as low as 35.9 mW/m·K, enhanced hydrophobicity, and an exceptionally rapid degradation ratio. Considering the eco-friendly and flexible characteristics of this process, anti-shrinkage and ultrafast-degradable PBAT/PBS foams with improved mechanical and thermal insulation performance present promising prospects to replace the nondegradable polymer foams.

Investigation of physical, mechanical, tribological and biodegradable properties of hybrid natural fibre reinforced polymer composite

This study has investigated the effect of natural fibres such as kenaf, coconut and jute and their combination as reinforced in an epoxy polymer matrix natural fiber reinforced polymer (NFRP) on mechanical properties (impact, flexural, tensile strength and hardness), thermal stability, tribological properties and biodegradability. The raw fibres were chemically treated with 3% NaOH for 24 h, and 10 wt.% was blended in the epoxy matrix. Further, a composite surface morphology and fibre dispersion were analysed using a scanning electron microscope. An improvement of an average of 30.39%, 1157.7% and 30.98% in impact strength, hardness and tensile strength, respectively, compared to pure epoxy composite. Further, the tribological study has shown a lesser frictional coefficient (∼0.275) in hybrid NFRP than in other composites where EN31 Steel disc is used as the counterbody. Moreover, the mixed NFRP has demonstrated excellent biodegradable properties compared to other NFRP and pure composites.

High-performance and economic biodegradable composites based on polybutylene adipate terephthalate and modified lignin

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) is a biodegradable polymer with promising properties, but its wide-spread application is limited by factors such as high cost, suboptimal mechanical characteristics, and slow biodegradation rate. In this study, these limitations are addressed by incorporating low-cost lignin, modified with an isocyanate compound, into PBAT via an extrusion process. By investigating the effects of varying isocyanate content on the lignin surface, the optimal modification conditions at room temperature are identified over 48 h. Additionally, the maximum lignin content (5 wt%) is determined within the composite to achieve a balance between mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties while also considering the economic and environmental feasibility of the polymer composite. The research delved into the examination of both the minimum selling price (MSP) and global warming potential (GWP) for all PBAT-mLigA composites. The optimized PBAT-mLigA composites exhibited a notable reduction of up to 7% in both MSP and GWP when compared to pure PBAT. The predominant determinants influencing the economic and environmental potentials of these composites are the pricing of PBAT and the ratio in which it is incorporated into the proposed composites.

Design multifunctional Mg–Zr coatings regulating Mg alloy bioabsorption

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are widely used for temporary bone implants due to their favorable biodegradability, cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and close mechanical properties to bone. However, rapid degradation and inadequate strength limit their applicability. To overcome this, the direct current magnetron sputtering technique is employed for surface coating in Mg-based alloys using various zirconium (Zr) content. This approach presents a promising strategy for simultaneously improving corrosion resistance, maintaining biocompatibility, and enhancing strength without compromising osseointegration. By leveraging Mg's inherent biodegradability, it has the potential to minimize the need for secondary surgeries, thereby reducing costs and resources.This paper is a systematic study aimed at understanding the corrosion mechanisms of Mg–Zr coatings, denoted Mg-xZr (x = 0–5 at.%). Zr-doped coatings exhibited columnar growth leading to denser and refined structures with increasing Zr content. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of the Mg (00.2) basal plane, shifting towards higher angles (1.15°) with 5 at.% Zr doping due to lattice parameter changes (i.e., decrease and increase of “c” and “a” lattice parameters, respectively). Mg–Zr coatings exhibited “liquidphilic” behavior, while Young's modulus retained a steady value around 80 GPa across all samples. However, the hardness has significantly improved across all samples’ coating, reaching the highest value of (2.2 ± 0.3) GPa for 5 at.% Zr. Electrochemical testing in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 °C revealed a significant enhancement in corrosion resistance for Mg–Zr coatings containing 1.0–3.4 at.% Zr. Compared with the 5 at.% Zr coating which exhibited a corrosion rate of 32 mm/year, these coatings displayed lower corrosion rates, ranging from 1 to 12 mm/year. This synergistic enhancement in mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, achieved with 2.0–3.4 at.% Zr, suggests potential ability for reducing stress shielding and controlled degradation performance, and consequently, promising functional biodegradable materials for temporary bone implants.

Biodegradable, Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Banana Peel (Musa Paradisiaca) for Bio-plastics Polymer Composites

Bioplastics became to meet high demand in plastic industries as its ability in performing biodegradable properties. Apart from that, this bioplastic particularly derived from banana peel and corn starch as to develop starch/biomass polymer composite. Thus, other commercial plastic takes a long time to fully or partially degraded. As a result, banana peel is chosen because of its abundant quantities to be obtained in Malaysia. The objective is to formulate TPS/BP polymer composites with different concentrations of BP and assess their mechanical and physical properties. The sample preparation involves multiple steps, including extracting BP through a maceration process and incorporating it into the TPS matrix to form the TPS/BP polymer complex. The findings reveal that TPS/BP composites with 10 wt% BP exhibit the highest tensile and tear strengths, reaching up to 39.303 MPa and 66.388 N/mm, respectively. In terms of biodegradability, the 40 wt% BP composite exhibits a higher degradation rate compared to the 5 wt% BP composites, with an average weight loss of 65.1% over 8 weeks, as opposed to the average weight loss of 45.2% in the latter case. Overall, TPS/BP polymer composites have shown significantly superior physical and mechanical performance, positioning them as a promising alternative to existing biodegradable polymers.

In vitro degradation and dual responsively antibacterial zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8@Rhein composite coating on magnesium alloy

Magnesium alloys attract wide attention as bone implant materials due to their outstanding biodegradable and biocompatible properties. However, its rapid degradation rate and bacterial infections after implanting limit its applications. Herein, a self-sacrificing Mg(OH)2 coating was formed on the MAO coated samples to avoid the dissolution of the MAO coating, promoting the in-situ growth of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8@Rhein coating on the MAO coated AZ31 alloys (defined as MAO/ZIF-8@Rhein coating). Results displayed that the MAO/ZIF-8@Rhein coating provides favorable corrosion resistance due to the physical barriers of ZIF-8@Rhein NPs and inner MAO coating. Rhein is one-step loaded by ZIF-8 NPs and released in response to both pH changes and near-infrared light (NIR) irradiation to kill bacteria. Additionally, the antibacterial rate of MAO/ZIF-8@Rhein coating reaches to 99.95 % (E. coli) and 99.90 % (S. aureus) under the synergy of contact-killing of Rhein and its photothermal effect by irradiation of 808 nm NIR light, and the photothermal conversion efficiency comes up to 53.4 %. Therefore, this dual responsively antibacterial composite coating with good corrosion resistance will promote the applications of Mg alloys in the biomedical field.

Analisys of Tensile Strength, Wear Rate, and Cristallinity of Biocomposite Nano-HA/Magnesium/Shellac Reinforced Cantula Fiber for Bone Screw Material

Accidents are a major cause of fractures in Indonesia. One of the treatments for fractures is bone screws with support plates that are placed on broken bone. Currently, many biomaterials for bone screws are being developed which have biodegradable properties so that post-operative bone healing is not required. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cantula fiber addition on tensile strength, wear rate, and crystallinity of nano-HA/magnesium/shellac bio-composite for bone screw materials. Nano-HA/magnesium/shellac/cantula fiber materials were mixed using a blender. The material was mixed with a magnesium/hydroxyapatite ratio of 70/30 and cantula fiber was added with variations of 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% of total volume. After that, material mixture was compacted with a pressure of 300 MPa for 10 minutes. Then sintering process was carried out at temperature of 140 °C for two hours. The results showed that the highest tensile strength value was 7.86 MPa at 30% variation. The lowest wear rate was 0.31 x 10<sup>-3</sup> mm<sup>3</sup>/Nm at 30% variation. The highest crystallinity in X-Ray Diffraction observations was obtained at 30% variation, which was 79.65%.

Influence of heat treatment and water absorption on mechanical properties of cotton-glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites: An eco-friendly approach for industrial materials

The effect of the heat treatment and the water absorption of the glass-fiber and recycled cotton fabric-reinforced hybrid composites on the mechanical and physical characteristics were examined in the research. The heat treatment at 80 °C significantly improved G-C-G's tensile as well as flexural strengths by 21% and 28%, respectively. However, due to the improved bonding among the matrix and fiber, G-C-G layer fiber hybrid composites performed better mechanical characteristics than the other alternative composite layers. However, after water absorption, the tensile, and flexural strength of all types of composites diminished from the as-cast samples. In this instance, the flexural and tensile strengths of the G-C-G hybrid composites decreased by 12.87% and 19.11%, respectively, and the bonding between the fiber and matrix degraded was evaluated by SEM images. The maximum amount of water absorption (23.15%) is found for C–C–C composites due to the porosity presented in the cotton fiber. The study evaluated optimal ratios of glass fiber to cotton-reinforced composites, considering both practical and financial aspects. In this case, the G-G-G composites always show better mechanical properties, but the variation among the strength of G-G-G as well as G-C-G is marginal. G-C-G fiber-based hybrid materials are more acceptable because of their affordable cost as well as biodegradable properties than G-G-G composites. Cotton/glass fiber reinforced composites have been proposed as an alternative to appealing elements in the building, automotive, and textile industries.

Development of antibacterial edible films for food packaging using tragacanth gum, carrageenan, and clove essential oil

AbstractBiodegradable films have been developed to tackle the problem of environmental pollution caused by food packaging waste. However, microbial growth in these films can lead to food spoilage and pose a threat to health. This study aimed to create antibacterial edible films using tragacanth gum, carrageenan, and clove essential oil (CEO) to prevent microbial growth. The influence of various concentrations of CEO (10%, 20%, and 30 w/w%) on the physical, optical, mechanical, antimicrobial, biodegradability properties and packaging of these films was examined. The results indicated that the addition of CEO enhanced film elongation, whereas it reduced tensile strength and Young's modulus. Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed an interaction between the CEO and tragacanth gum/carrageenan. Incorporating CEO reduced the films' moisture content and water vapor permeability, while increasing their antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. The films containing 30% CEO exhibited a strong inhibitory effect against both Escherichia coli and Bacillus. The incorporation of CEO into tragacanth gum/carrageenan enhanced the film's properties, making it suitable for packaging edible food items. This study fills a gap by providing a sustainable solution to mitigate microbial growth in biodegradable food packing materials.

Thermo-Mechanical, Structural, and Biodegradability Properties of Water Hyacinth and Sheep Wool Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polypropylene Composites

Hybrid fiber reinforcements can incorporate a wider array of qualities than single fiber reinforcement. Instead of synthetic fibers, applying plant and animal-based organic materials as reinforcement in polymer matrix offers certain benefits, such as low price, greater availability, and better biodegradability. In the present study, water hyacinth fiber and sheep wool fiber reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites were fabricated at three different (5, 10, and 15 wt.%) fiber loading. The effect of fiber loading on thermo-mechanical, structural, and biodegradability properties was subsequently investigated. The manufacturing process of the composite material was carried out with utmost consideration for biodegradability, since polypropylene, the primary constituent, is not inherently biodegradable. The insertion of fibers into the polypropylene matrix showed variance in properties of different aspects. The tensile strength of the composites displayed a downward trajectory (from 25 to 10 MPa) with a 15% increase in fiber loading due to voids, and fiber dispersion, while impact strength exhibited an opposite trend (from 25 to 32 J/m). Except for hardness, all the mechanical properties degraded slightly after the employment of the reinforcement. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis revealed the movement of typical peaks and the appearance of new peaks demonstrating the bonding between the fiber and the matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal degradation temperature of the composites improved at maximum fiber loading. On the other hand, the goal of achieving biodegradability has been succeeded by the implementation of a combination of plant and animal-based fibers as biodegradability of the manufactured composites thrives with increasing fiber content for the presence of cellulosic bonds, as evident from the FTIR spectrum. Even though some properties of the hybrid composite declined slightly with increasing fiber loading, the other characteristics, including service temperature and biodegradability experienced a prospective advancement. Hence, the 15% fiber-loaded composite was found to be a potential candidate in terms of slightly high temperature and environment-friendly applications.

The Influence of Gamma Radiation on Different Gelatin Nanofibers and Gelatins.

Gelatin nanofibers are known as wound-healing biomaterials due to their high biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-antigenic properties compared to synthetic-polymer-fabricated nanofibers. The influence of gamma radiation doses on the structure of gelatin nanofiber dressings compared to gelatin of their origin is little known, although it is very important for the production of stable bioactive products. Different-origin gelatins were extracted from bovine and donkey hides, rabbit skins, and fish scales and used for fabrication of nanofibers through electrospinning of gelatin solutions in acetic acid. Nanofibers with sizes ranging from 73.50 nm to 230.46 nm were successfully prepared, thus showing the potential of different-origin gelatin by-products valorization as a lower-cost alternative to native collagen. The gelatin nanofibers together with their origin gelatins were treated with 10, 20, and 25 kGy gamma radiation doses and investigated for their structural stability through chemiluminescence and FTIR spectroscopy. Chemiluminescence analysis showed a stable behavior of gelatin nanofibers and gelatins up to 200 °C and increased chemiluminescent emission intensities for nanofibers treated with gamma radiation, at temperatures above 200 °C, compared to irradiated gelatins and non-irradiated nanofibers and gelatins. The electron paramagnetic (EPR) signals of DMPO adduct allowed for the identification of long-life HO● radicals only for bovine and donkey gelatin nanofibers treated with a 20 kGy gamma radiation dose. Microbial contamination with aerobic microorganisms, yeasts, filamentous fungi, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans of gelatin nanofibers treated with 10 kGy gamma radiation was under the limits required for pharmaceutical and topic formulations. Minor shifts of FTIR bands were observed at irradiation, indicating the preservation of secondary structure and stable properties of different-origin gelatin nanofibers.

Effect of Mn Content on the Microstructure, Mechanical, and Corrosion Properties of Porous Mg–1Zn–1Ca Scaffolds

Porous Mg alloys scaffolds are considered as an attractive strategy for bone repair due to their good biodegradability, biocompatibility, and suitable mechanical properties. In this study, porous Mg–1Zn–1Ca–xMn (x = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8) scaffolds with cubic pore structure are prepared, and the size of main pore and interconnected pores of the scaffolds are predicted to be 355–450 and 30–50 μm, respectively. Among the four scaffolds, Mg–1Zn–1Ca–0.8Mn scaffold possesses good mechanical properties, with a maximum yield strength of 27.1 and an elastic modulus of 0.66 GPa. However, Mg–1Zn–1Ca–0.5Mn scaffold exhibits the optimal corrosion resistance with a corrosion rate 1.02 mm year−1 after 5 days immersion in Hank's solution. This is mainly attributed to α‐Mn phase, which is uniformly distributed on the substrate and uniformly degraded.

Synthesis and characterization of a magnetic bacterial cellulose-chitosan nanocomposite and evaluation of its applicability for osteogenesis.

Natural biopolymers are used for various purposes in healthcare, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and wound healing. Bacterial cellulose and chitosan were preferred in this study due to their non-cytotoxic, biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-inflammatory properties. The study reports the development of a magnetic bacterial cellulose-chitosan (BC-CS-Fe3O4) nanocomposite that can be used as a biocompatible scaffold for tissue engineering. Iron oxide nanoparticles were included in the composite to provide superparamagnetic properties that are useful in a variety of applications, including osteogenic differentiation, magnetic imaging, drug delivery, and thermal induction for cancer treatment. The magnetic nanocomposite was prepared by immersing Fe3O4 in a mixture of bacterial cellulose-chitosan scaffold and then freeze-drying it. The resulting nanocomposite was characterized using FE-SEM and FTIR techniques. The swelling ratio and mechanical strength of the scaffolds were evaluated experimentally. The biodegradability of the scaffolds was assessed using PBS for 8 weeks at 37°C. The cytotoxicity and osteogenic differentiation of the nanocomposite were studied using human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) and alizarin red staining. One-way ANOVA with Tukey's multiple comparisons test was used for statistical analysis. The FTIR spectra demonstrated the formation of bonds between functional groups of nanoparticles. FE-SEM images showed the integrity of the fibrillar network. The magnetic nanocomposite has the highest swelling ratio (2445% ± 23.34) and tensile strength (5.08 MPa). After 8 weeks, the biodegradation ratios of BC, BC-CS, and BC-CS-Fe3O4 scaffolds were 0.75% ± 0.35, 2.5% ± 0.1, and 9.5% ± 0.7, respectively. Magnetic nanocomposites have low toxicity (P < 0.0001) and higher osteogenic potential compared to other scaffolds. Based on its high tensile strength, low water absorption, suitable degradability, low cytotoxicity, and high ability to induce an increase in calcium deposits by stem cells, the magnetic BC-CS-Fe3O4 nanocomposite scaffold can be a suitable candidate as a biomaterial for osteogenic differentiation.

Structure, Properties, and Recent Developments in Polysaccharide- and Aliphatic Polyester-Based Packaging—A Review

Food packaging plays an imperative role in the food processing sector by safeguarding foods from their point of harvesting until the moment of consumption. In recent years, biopolymers have attracted the attention of the scientific community as an alternative to conventional packaging materials. Among the available biopolymer sources, a lot of the focus has been on polysaccharides due to their superior barrier properties against gases, oils, and odors and their processing versatility. Moreover, there is also a growing interest in aliphatic polyester as a potential replacement for petrochemical-based synthetic plastics. Both polysaccharides and aliphatic polyesters have gained popularity in sustainable food packaging due to their unique characteristics, including their low cost, availability, biodegradability, gas and moisture barrier properties, film-forming capabilities, excellent heat resistance, and ability to be processed into films, trays, and coatings. This review highlights the structural features, properties, and recent advancements of several vital polysaccharides, namely, starch, chitosan, cellulose, alginate, pectin, carrageenan, and aliphatic polyesters, including polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) for developing packaging materials, and their applications in the food industry. Conventional packaging and future perspectives of biopolymer-based food packaging are also comprehensively covered in this review.

Development and characterizations of jarosite waste reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) composites: A sustainable approach toward solid waste management

AbstractJarosite, an industrial waste, has the potential to be used as an alternative filler in biocomposites used as packaging material and can replace nondegradable thermoplastic. Such a novel approach of waste management strategy has not been studied till date. In this research work, different weight percentages of jarosite were mixed with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to fabricate polymer composites with better physico‐chemical, thermal, tensile, and biodegradation properties. The data indicate that a low concentration of jarosite (3 wt.%) improved the tensile strength by 198.7% and the composite showed higher thermal stability by 6.3% than that of the neat PVA. X‐ray diffractogram and transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed a strong interaction between PVA and jarosite. Interestingly, the addition of jarosite reduced the water absorption capacity and thickness swelling of the PVA composite by 58% and 54.7%, respectively. Jarosite‐incorporated composites showed lesser degradation potential (64%) than the control composites (84%) after 60 days under soil burial conditions, indicating that PVA‐jarosite composites have a higher shelf‐life, which is needed for packaging materials. These composites can also be good alternant for thermoplastic used in preparation of cuboid, sealing, and decorative materials. Also, this would be a novel sustainable approach for managing/reducing jarosite waste.Highlights Jarosite was reinforced with PVA to fabricate biocomposites. The maximum tensile strength of the composite was achieved as 45.4 MPa. The thermal stability of mechanically optimized composite is found at 320°C. After 60 days under soil burial, the composite lost 64.8% of its original weight. Developed composites can be good alternant for nondegradable thermoplastic.