Venus antiqua Clamshell-Derived Calcium Oxide Nanoparticles for the Preparation of PLA/d-Limonene/CaO Nanocomposites with Antimicrobial Properties

Abstract

Antimicrobial films based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/Dlimonene/calcium oxide (CaO)-based nanocomposites were prepared by extrusion and successive thermocompression. D-Limonene was incorporated into PLA at a concentration of 5 or 10 wt %. Venus antiqua clamshell-derived calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles with an average diameter of 11.2 ± 9.9 nm were added at concentrations of 3 and 5 wt %. A decrease in the glass transition temperature (T g ) by ca. 20% corroborated the plasticizing effect of D-limonene compared to pure PLA. The incorporation of 5 wt % CaO in PLA composites promoted a ca. 15% decrease in T cc . Although CaO induced a lower Young's modulus and a lower thermal stability in nanocomposites, excellent antimicrobial performance was demonstrated. Both PLA/limonene and PLA/ limonene/CaO films reached 99.99% efficiency against Escherichia coli, regardless of the source of irradiation, D-limonene, and nanoparticle loading. Therefore, these nanocomposites establish significant progress in developing sustainable antimicrobial materials in the fields of medicine or food packaging.

The Effect of Catechins and Nanochitosan on Reducing Bacterial Colonies and Material Performance in Packaging Films Based on Pla/PCL Blend

“…This is significant because S. aureus often forms biofilms that reduce the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics. Good dispersion of nanochitosan in solution also allows for even distribution in the environment surrounding the bacteria, enhancing their ability to interact with a large number of S. aureus bacterial cells , Moreno-Serna et al (2023), Chia et al (2023), Ertek et al (2023), Zhu et al (2022.…”