Environmental impact of peanut skin‐reinforced native starch foams modified by acetylation

Synthesis, characteristics, and applications of modified starch nanoparticles: A review

Nowadays, starch nanoparticles (SNPs) are drawing attention to the scientific community due to their versatility and wide range of applications. Although several works have extensively addressed the SNP production routes, not much is discussed about the SNPs modification techniques, as well as the use of modified SNPs in typical and unconventional applications. Here, we focused on the SNP modification strategies and characteristics and performance of the resulting products, as well as their practical applications, while pointing out the main limitations and recommendations. We aim to guide researchers by identifying the next steps in this emerging line of research. SNPs esterification and oxidation are preferred chemical modifications, which result in changes in the functional groups. Moreover, additional polymers are incorporated into the SNP surface through copolymer grafting. Physical modification of starch has demonstrated similar changes in the functional groups without the need for toxic chemicals. Modified SNPs rendered differentiated properties, such as size, shape, crystallinity, hydrophobicity, and Zeta-potential. For multiple applications, tailoring the aforementioned properties is key to the performance of nanoparticle-based systems. However, the number of studies focusing on emerging applications is fairly limited, while their applications as drug delivery systems lack in vivo studies. The main challenges and prospects were discussed.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution associated with the COVID-19 pandemic along the coastline of Agadir, Morocco

The increasing use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as a sanitary measure against the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has become a significant source of many environmental risks. The majority of the governments enforce the use of PPE in public areas, such as beaches. Thus, the use and disposal of PPE have compromised most solid waste management strategies, ultimately leading to the occurrence of PPE polluting the marine environment. The present study aimed to monitor the PPE pollution associated with COVID-19 along the coastline of Agadir, Morocco. In parallel, the influence of the activities carried out in each sampled beach before and after the lockdown break was reported. Overall, a total number of 689 PPE items were identified, with a mean density of 1.13 × 10^-5 PPE m^-2 (0-1.21 × 10^-4 PPE m^-2). The majority of the PPE items found were face masks (96.81%), out of which 98.4% were surgical masks and 1.6% were reusable cloth masks. The most polluted sites were the beaches with recreational activities, followed by surfing, and fishing as the main activity. Importantly, PPE density increased significantly after lockdown measures. Additionally, the discarded PPE sampled in the supralittoral zone was higher than PPE recorded in the intertidal zone. This confirms that PPE items are driven by the beachgoers during their visit. PPE items are a source of microplastic and chemical pollutants, a substrate to invasive species colonization, and a potential threat of entanglement, ingestion, and/or infection among apex predators. In the specific case of Agadir beaches, significant efforts are required to work on the lack of environmental awareness and education. It is recommended to improve beach cleaning strategies and to penalize incorrect PPE disposal. Additional alternatives may be adopted, as the involvement of biodegradable materials in PPE manufacturing, recycling through pyrolysis, and encouraging reusable and washable masks.