Biodegradation of Moringa oleifera's polymer blends

Biodegradation: the best solution to the world problem of discarded polymers

The widespread use of polymers has made our lives increasingly convenient by offering a more convenient and dependable material. However, the challenge of efficiently decomposing these materials has resulted in a surge of polymer waste, posing environment and health risk. Currently, landfill and incineration treatment approaches have notable shortcomings, prompting a shift towards more eco-friendly and sustainable biodegradation approaches. Biodegradation primarily relies on microorganisms, with research focusing on both solitary bacterial strain and multi-strain communities for polymer biodegradation. Furthermore, directed evolution and rational design of enzyme have significantly contributed to the polymer biodegradation process. However, previous reviews often undervaluing the role of multi-strain communities. In this review, we assess the current state of these three significant fields of research, provide practical solutions to issues with polymer biodegradation, and outline potential future directions for the subject. Ultimately, biodegradation, whether facilitated by single bacteria, multi-strain communities, or engineered enzymes, now represents the most effective method for managing waste polymers.

Development of hybrid electrospun alginate-pulverized moringa composites

The consideration of biopolymers with natural products offers promising and effective materials with intrinsic and extrinsic properties that are utilized in several applications. Electrospinning is a method known for its unique and efficient performance in developing polymer-based nanofibers with tunable and diverse properties presented as good surface area, morphology, porosity, and fiber diameters during fabrication. In this work, we have developed an electrospun sodium alginate (SA) incorporated with pulverized Moringa oleifera seed powder (PMO) as a potential natural biosorbent material for water treatment applications. The developed fibers when observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), presented pure sodium alginate with smooth fiber (SAF) characteristics of an average diameter of about 515.09 nm (±114.33). Addition of pulverized Moringa oleifera at 0.5%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% (w/w) reduces the fiber diameter to an average of about 240 nm with a few spindle-like pulverized Moringa oleifera particles beads of 300 nm (±77.97) 0.5% particle size and 110 nm (±32.19) with the clear observation of rougher spindle-like pulverized Moringa oleifera particle beads of 680 nm (±131.77) at 8% of alginate/Moringa oleifera fiber (AMF). The results from the rheology presented characteristic shear-thinning or pseudoplastic behaviour with a decline in viscosity, with characteristic behaviour as the shear rate increases, indicative of an ideal polymer solution suitable for the spinning process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) shows the presence of amine and amide functional groups are prevalent on the alginate-impregnated moringa with water stability nanofibers and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with change in degradation properties in a clear indication and successful incorporation of the Moringa oleifera in the electrospun fiber. The key findings from this study position nanofibers as sustainable composites fiber for potential applications in water treatment, especifically heavy metal adsorption.

Comprehensive insight into surfactant modified-PBAT physico-chemical and biodegradability properties

This work aimed to prepare surfactant modified-PBAT (poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) sheets with superior properties to increase the PBAT applicability and be a possible solution for plastic disposal environmental problems. Three different surfactant contents (0, 1, 5, and 10 wt%) were investigated, and their effects on PBAT chemical structure, mechanical and morphological properties, wettability, and water absorption were investigated. Modified-PBAT samples showed high hydrogen bond coefficients (0.57) than the pristine PBAT (0.54), indicating an excellent electrostatic interaction between both components and the formation of a rigid hydrogen-bonded network, as confirmed by mechanical tests, where the elastic modulus values for PBAT and PBAT+10% surfactant were 44 and 60 MPa. SEM images and roughness measurements showed changes in PBAT morphology after surfactant addition, improving the roughness and wettability by the voids and polar groups presence, altering the water absorption (WA) behavior. The higher water affinity resulted in high water absorption for PBAT-10%S (17%) compared to the pristine PBAT (2%), which improves hydrolysis tendency, which is the initial step to biodegradation. Biodegradation results indicated that the roughness and WA behavior influenced the biodegradation rate, facilitating hydrolysis and microbial attack, and accelerating modified samples weight loss. Our results suggested developing a material with superior mechanical properties, mainly for PBAT-10%S, that can be applied in several applications, such as packaging and furniture. After discharge, it is not an environmental problem, being a biodegradable material with a green character.

Exploiting the Potential of Moringa oleifera Oil/Polyvinyl Chloride Polymeric Bionanocomposite Film Enriched with Silver Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Activity

The present study focused on the prospect of fabricating a polymeric naturally extracted Moringa oleifera oil bionanocomposite film enriched with silver nanoparticles for antimicrobial activity. In this study, a standard concentration of Moringa oleifera oil (5-10 wt%) was used to fabricate a polymeric bionanocomposite film using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) enriched with silver nanoparticles. The active constituents of the extracted Moringa oleifera oil were verified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, were employed to characterize and study the surface morphology of the fabricated bionanocomposite film. The antimicrobial activity of the fabricated bionanocomposite film was investigated using different strains of bacteria and fungus. The results revealed well-oriented and excellently dispersed silver nanoparticles in the PVC-Moringa oleifera oil matrix. The bionanocomposite was able to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella flexneri, and Candida albicans. The combination of nanoparticles with polymers is opening new routes for engineering fixable composites, which showed antimicrobial properties.