Biodegradation of polysaccharide-based biocomposites with acetylated cellulose nanocrystals, alginate and chitosan in aqueous environment

Beti Vidmar; Ana Oberlintner; Blaž Stres; Blaž Likozar; Uroš Novak

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126433

Biodegradation of polysaccharide-based biocomposites with acetylated cellulose nanocrystals, alginate and chitosan in aqueous environment

Int J Biol Macromol. 2023 Dec 1:252:126433. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126433. Epub 2023 Aug 19.

Authors

Beti Vidmar¹, Ana Oberlintner², Blaž Stres³, Blaž Likozar¹, Uroš Novak⁴

Affiliations

¹ National Institute of Chemistry, Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
² National Institute of Chemistry, Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
³ National Institute of Chemistry, Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Institute of Sanitary Engineering, Jamova 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
⁴ National Institute of Chemistry, Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: uros.novak@ki.si.

PMID: 37604416
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126433

Abstract

Biocomposite films from renewable sources are seen to be viable candidates as sustainable, zero-waste packaging materials. In this study, biocomposites films using chitosan and alginate as matrices, and pristine or acetylated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as reinforcement agents, were fabricated, thoroughly characterized in terms of structure (with ATR-FTIR and XRD), morphology (SEM), thermal stability (TGA coupled with FTIR), water content and solubility and mechanical properties and subjected to controlled biological degradation in aqueous environment with added activated sludge. Biodegradation activity was followed through respirometry by measurement of change in partial O₂ pressure using OxiTop® system. While the initial rate of biodegradation is higher in chitosan-based films with incorporated CNCs (both pristine and modified) compared to any other tested biocomposites, it was observed that chitosan-based films are not completely degradable in activated sludge medium, whereas alginate-based films reached complete biodegradation in 107 h to 112 h. Additional study of the aqueous medium with in situ FTIR during biodegradation offered an insight into biodegradation mechanisms. Use of advanced statistical methods indicated that selection of material (ALG vs CH) has the highest influence on biodegradability, followed by solubility of the material and its thermal stability.

Keywords: Activated sludge characterization; Biochemical oxygen demand; Biodegradation activity; Cellulose nanocrystals acetylation; OxiTop®; Polysaccharide-based films.

MeSH terms

Alginates
Cellulose / chemistry
Chitosan* / chemistry
Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Sewage
Water

Substances

Cellulose
Chitosan
Alginates
Sewage
Water