Assessment of nitrogen–fluorine-codoped TiO2 under visible light for degradation of BPA: Implication for field remediation

Food packaging and nanotechnology: safeguarding consumer health and safety

Purpose

Nanotechnology as an emerging area if adequately harnessed could revolutionise food packaging and food processing industry worldwide. Although several benefits of nano-materials or particles in food packaging have been suggested, potential risks and health hazards of nano-materials or particles are possible as a result of migration of their particles into food materials. The purpose of this review therefore assessed nanotechnology and its applications in food packaging, consumer acceptability of nano-packaged foods and potential hazards and safety issues in nano-packaged foods.

Design/methodology/approach

This review takes a critical assessment of previous literature on nanotechnology and its impact on food packaging, consumer health and safety.

Findings

Applications of nanotechnology in food packaging could be divided into three main divisions: improved packaging, which involves mixing nano-materials into polymers matrix to improve temperature, humidity and gas barrier resistance of the packaging materials. Active packaging deals with direct interaction between nano-materials used for packaging and the food to protect it as anti-microbial or oxygen or ultra violet scavengers. Smart packaging could be used to sense biochemical or microbial changes in foods, as well as a tracker for food safety, to prevent food counterfeit and adulteration. The review also discussed bio-based food packaging which is biodegradable. Bio-based packaging could serve as veritable alternative to conventional packaging which is non-degradable plastic polymers which are not environmental friendly and could pose a threat to the environment. However, bio-based packaging could reduce material waste, elongate shelf life and enhance food quality. However, several challenges are envisaged in the use of nano-materials in food packaging due to knowledge gaps, possible interaction with food products and possible health risks that could result from the nano-materials used for food packaging.

Originality/value

The increase in growth and utilisation of nanotechnology signifies wide use of nano-materials especially in the food sector with arrays of potential benefits in the areas of food safety and quality, micronutrients and bioactive ingredients delivery, food processing and in packaging Active studies are being carried out to develop innovative packages such as smart, intelligent and active food packaging to enhance effective and efficient packaging, as well as balanced environmental issues. This review looks at the future of nano-packaged foodsvis-à-visthe roles played by stakeholders such as governments, regulatory agencies and manufacturers in looking into consumer health and safety issues related to the application of nano-materials in food packaging.

Reduced Graphene Oxide–P25 Nanocomposites as Efficient Photocatalysts for Degradation of Bisphenol A in Water

Reduced graphene oxide–titanium dioxide photocatalyst (rGO–TiO2) was successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The rGO–TiO2 was used as photocatalyst for the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA), which is a typical endocrine disruptor of the environment. Characterization of photocatalysts and photocatalytic experiments under different conditions were performed for studying the structure and properties of photocatalysts. The characterization results showed that part of the anatase type TiO2 was converted into rutile type TiO2 after hydrothermal treatment and 1% rGO–P25 had the largest specific surface area (52.174 m2/g). Photocatalytic experiments indicated that 1% rGO–P25 had the best catalytic effect, and the most suitable concentration was 0.5 g/L. When the solution pH was 5.98, the catalyst was the most active. Under visible light, the three photocatalytic mechanisms were ranked as follows: O2•− > •OH > h+. 1% rGO–P25 also had strong photocatalytic activity in the photocatalytic degradation of BPA under sunlight irradiation. 1% rGO–P25 with 0.5 g/L may be a very promising photocatalyst with a variety of light sources, especially under sunlight for practical applications.

The current application of nanotechnology in food and agriculture

The rapid development of nanotechnology has been facilitating the transformations of traditional food and agriculture sectors, particularly the invention of smart and active packaging, nanosensors, nanopesticides and nanofertilizers. Numerous novel nanomaterials have been developed for improving food quality and safety, crop growth, and monitoring environmental conditions. In this review the most recent trends in nanotechnology are discussed and the most challenging tasks and promising opportunities in the food and agriculture sectors from selected recent studies are addressed. The toxicological fundamentals and risk assessment of nanomaterials in these new food and agriculture products are also discussed. We highlighted the potential application of bio-synthesized and bio-inspired nanomaterial for sustainable development. However, fundamental questions with regard to high performance, low toxic nanomaterials need to be addressed to fuel active development and application of nanotechnology. Regulation and legislation are also paramount to regulating the manufacturing, processing, application, as well as disposal of nanomaterials. Efforts are still needed to strengthen public awareness and acceptance of the novel nano-enabled food and agriculture products. We conclude that nanotechnology offers a plethora of opportunities, by providing a novel and sustainable alternative in the food and agriculture sectors.

Prospects of using nanotechnology for food preservation, safety, and security

The rapid development of nanotechnology has transformed many domains of food science, especially those that involve the processing, packaging, storage, transportation, functionality, and other safety aspects of food. A wide range of nanostructured materials (NSMs), from inorganic metal, metal oxides, and their nanocomposites to nano-organic materials with bioactive agents, has been applied to the food industry. Despite the huge benefits nanotechnology has to offer, there are emerging concerns regarding the use of nanotechnology, as the accumulation of NSMs in human bodies and in the environment can cause several health and safety hazards. Therefore, safety and health concerns as well as regulatory policies must be considered while manufacturing, processing, intelligently and actively packaging, and consuming nano-processed food products. This review aims to provide a basic understanding regarding the applications of nanotechnology in the food packaging and processing industries and to identify the future prospects and potential risks associated with the use of NSMs.

Toxicity of engineered nanomaterials mediated by nano-bio-eco interactions

Engineered nanomaterials may adversely impact human health and environmental safety by nano-bio-eco interactions not fully understood. Their interaction with biotic and abiotic environments are varied and complicated, ranging from individual species to entire ecosystems. Their behavior, transport, fate, and toxicological profiles in these interactions, addressed in a pioneering study, are subsequently seldom reported. Biological, chemical, and physical dimension properties, the so-called multidimensional characterization, determine interactions. Intermediate species generated in the dynamic process of nanomaterial transformation increase the complexity of assessing nanotoxicity. We review recent progress in understanding these interactions, discuss the challenges of the study, and suggest future research directions.

Synergistic Effect of Fluorinated and N Doped TiO₂ Nanoparticles Leading to Different Microstructure and Enhanced Photocatalytic Bacterial Inactivation

This work focuses on the development of a facile and scalable wet milling method followed by heat treatment to prepare fluorinated and/or N-doped TiO₂ nanopowders with improved photocatalytic properties under visible light. The structural and electronic properties of doped particles were investigated by various techniques. The successful doping of TiO₂ was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the atoms appeared to be mainly located in interstitial positions for N whereas the fluorination is located at the TiO₂ surface. The formation of intragap states was found to be responsible for the band gap narrowing leading to the faster bacterial inactivation dynamics observed for the fluorinated and N doped TiO₂ particles compared to N-doped TiO₂. This was attributed to a synergistic effect. The results presented in this study confirmed the suitability of the preparation approach for the large-scale production of cost-efficient doped TiO₂ for effective bacterial inactivation.

Heterostructured ZnFe2O4/TiO2 nanocomposites with a highly recyclable visible-light-response for bisphenol A degradation

The novel visible-light-sensitive ZnFe₂O₄–TiO₂ photocatalysts are successfully fabricated by a facile solvothermal method toward BPA photodegradation under different light sources.

Nanotechnology in food science: Functionality, applicability, and safety assessment

Rapid development of nanotechnology is expected to transform many areas of food science and food industry with increasing investment and market share. In this article, current applications of nanotechnology in food systems are briefly reviewed. Functionality and applicability of food-related nanotechnology are highlighted in order to provide a comprehensive view on the development and safety assessment of nanotechnology in the food industry. While food nanotechnology offers great potential benefits, there are emerging concerns arising from its novel physicochemical properties. Therefore, the safety concerns and regulatory policies on its manufacturing, processing, packaging, and consumption are briefly addressed. At the end of this article, the perspectives of nanotechnology in active and intelligent packaging applications are highlighted.

Assessing the effect of different natural dissolved organic matters on the cytotoxicity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with bacteria

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) are among the most widely manufactured nanomaterials on a global scale. However, prudent and vigilant surveillance, incumbent upon the scientific community with the advent of new technologies, has revealed potentially undesirable effects of TiO₂ NPs on biological systems and the natural environment during their application and discharge. Such effects are likely best evaluated by first assessing the fate of the TiO₂ NPs in natural environments. In this study, the effects of terrestrial humic acid (HA) and tannic acid (TA), two major members of the collective: dissolved organic matter (DOM), on the cytotoxicity of TiO₂ NPs to Escherichia coli were investigated in the presence and absence of natural sunlight. Qualitative (transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) and quantitative (LC₅₀) analyses were employed in this study. In addition, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the form of OH was further assessed-as HA or TA increased the production of ROS decreased. The inhibition of bacterial viability in the light treatment groups, with respective treatment organics at concentrations of 10 ppm, was less in TA than in terrestrial HA. SAS was used to analyze the treatment effect of individual factors of light irradiation, DOM, and concentration of TiO₂ NPs.

Environmental application of nanotechnology: air, soil, and water

Global deterioration of water, soil, and atmosphere by the release of toxic chemicals from the ongoing anthropogenic activities is becoming a serious problem throughout the world. This poses numerous issues relevant to ecosystem and human health that intensify the application challenges of conventional treatment technologies. Therefore, this review sheds the light on the recent progresses in nanotechnology and its vital role to encompass the imperative demand to monitor and treat the emerging hazardous wastes with lower cost, less energy, as well as higher efficiency. Essentially, the key aspects of this account are to briefly outline the advantages of nanotechnology over conventional treatment technologies and to relevantly highlight the treatment applications of some nanomaterials (e.g., carbon-based nanoparticles, antibacterial nanoparticles, and metal oxide nanoparticles) in the following environments: (1) air (treatment of greenhouse gases, volatile organic compounds, and bioaerosols via adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, thermal decomposition, and air filtration processes), (2) soil (application of nanomaterials as amendment agents for phytoremediation processes and utilization of stabilizers to enhance their performance), and (3) water (removal of organic pollutants, heavy metals, pathogens through adsorption, membrane processes, photocatalysis, and disinfection processes).