In line with the Circular Economy approach [1], compostable and biodegradable-based polymers are currently used in the polymer industry to minimize the amount of wastes and to promote environmental sustainability. Current trends in the healthcare, caused by the increased interest to prevention in the spread of infections, focus on the development of innovative materials capable to combining sustainability properties with antibacterial and/or antiviral ones. Bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) [2] have attracted great commercial interest as biocompatible and biodegradable plastics materials, as they exhibit physical-chemical, thermal and mechanical properties very similar to conventional plastics. Actually, as natural active compound, PHA represents a potential alternative to the synthetic counterpart in order to avoid the adverse health problems (i.e. cancer development, toxicity) from their persistent consumption. Recent articles are demonstrating that Spirulina platensis algae (a free-floating filamentous microalgae growing in alkaline water bodies) is potentially capable of inhibiting one of the proteins responsible for Covid-19 replication, in addition to their antibacterial and antioxidant activity [3-4]. Within this scenario, the proposed idea and the preliminary activity we are carrying out, is toward the studying and development of a novel Spirulina- PHA based nanocomposites. Reactive end-groups of PHA could be permit a good interface chemical-physical interaction, useful not only to improve the miscibility between two phases but also to control and to tune the final properties of the obtained systems, in term of mechanical behaviour and biological activity. Furthermore, different potential applications will be explored and attempted in medicine, cosmetic industry and agro chemistry, by taking advantages of tuneable property of Spirulina-PHA based nanocomposites.
DESIGN OF NEW BIODEGRADABLE ALGAE/PHA POLYMERS NANOCOMPOSITES
Fabiana Tescione;Mariamelia Stanzione
2020
Abstract
In line with the Circular Economy approach [1], compostable and biodegradable-based polymers are currently used in the polymer industry to minimize the amount of wastes and to promote environmental sustainability. Current trends in the healthcare, caused by the increased interest to prevention in the spread of infections, focus on the development of innovative materials capable to combining sustainability properties with antibacterial and/or antiviral ones. Bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) [2] have attracted great commercial interest as biocompatible and biodegradable plastics materials, as they exhibit physical-chemical, thermal and mechanical properties very similar to conventional plastics. Actually, as natural active compound, PHA represents a potential alternative to the synthetic counterpart in order to avoid the adverse health problems (i.e. cancer development, toxicity) from their persistent consumption. Recent articles are demonstrating that Spirulina platensis algae (a free-floating filamentous microalgae growing in alkaline water bodies) is potentially capable of inhibiting one of the proteins responsible for Covid-19 replication, in addition to their antibacterial and antioxidant activity [3-4]. Within this scenario, the proposed idea and the preliminary activity we are carrying out, is toward the studying and development of a novel Spirulina- PHA based nanocomposites. Reactive end-groups of PHA could be permit a good interface chemical-physical interaction, useful not only to improve the miscibility between two phases but also to control and to tune the final properties of the obtained systems, in term of mechanical behaviour and biological activity. Furthermore, different potential applications will be explored and attempted in medicine, cosmetic industry and agro chemistry, by taking advantages of tuneable property of Spirulina-PHA based nanocomposites.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
