Page 11 - InnoRenew CoE International Conference 2022
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Antimicrobial polylactic acid/lignin/Cu nanoparticles composite
film preparation for food packaging applications
Esakkiammal Sudha Esakkimuthu1*, David DeVallance1,2 , Maja Leitgeb3, Mika H. Sipponen4
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6, 6310 Izola, Slovenia. sudha.esakkimuthu@innorenew.eu, devallance@innorenew.eu
2 University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Glagoljaška 8, 6000 Koper. david.devallance@
famnit.upr.si
3 University of Maribor, Faculty of chemistry and chemical engineering, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. maja.leitgeb@um.si
4 Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. mika.
sipponen@mmk.su.se
* Corresponding author
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biopolymer, widely used in plastic films, bottles, and biodegradable medical devices
(Huang et al., 2018). Due to its slow crystallisation, poor thermal stability, and high cost, it is not suitable for long
shelf-life food storage applications. Lignin was introduced to improve the thermal and mechanical properties
of PLA. Lignin is a three-dimensional aromatic biopolymer which is obtained as a byproduct from the pulp and
paper industry. Our preliminary results (mechanical and thermal properties) have shown that 5 wt% and 10 wt%
of Kraft lignin (KL) are better weight composition in PLA matrix (Esakkimuthu et al., 2022). Additionally, to
improve the antimicrobial property of the packaging film, copper (Cu) nanoparticles were incorporated into the
PLA/KL composite through a casting process. Cu nanoparticles were produced using the sodium borohydride
reduction method, and characterised using UV and Particle size analyser. The anti-bacterial performance of
the composite film was evaluated against foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and
Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive). The proposed work provides significant advances to boost the utilisation
of PLA polymer at low costs for various food packaging applications.
Keywords: polylactic acid, lignin, copper nanoparticle, biocomposite, food packaging
Acknowledgement: The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from EU-Horizon 2020–H2020-
MSCA-IF-2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (Grand number: 101031402—PACK-
NIN—H2020-MSCA-IF-2020) and the European Commission for funding the InnoRenew project [H2020
WIDESPREAD-2-Teaming grant number 739574]
REFERENCES
Huang. Y., Mei. L., Chen. X., Wang. Q., 2018. Recent Developments in Food Packaging Based on Nanomaterials.
Nanomaterials. 8, 830. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8100830
Esakkimuthu, E. S., DeVallance, D., Pylypchuk, I., Moreno, A., Sipponen, M. H, “Multifunctional Lignin-Poly (lactic
acid) Biocomposites for Packaging Applications” Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2022. DOI
10.3389/fbioe.2022.1025076
17–18 NOVEMBER 2022 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 11
film preparation for food packaging applications
Esakkiammal Sudha Esakkimuthu1*, David DeVallance1,2 , Maja Leitgeb3, Mika H. Sipponen4
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6, 6310 Izola, Slovenia. sudha.esakkimuthu@innorenew.eu, devallance@innorenew.eu
2 University of Primorska, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Glagoljaška 8, 6000 Koper. david.devallance@
famnit.upr.si
3 University of Maribor, Faculty of chemistry and chemical engineering, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. maja.leitgeb@um.si
4 Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16C, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. mika.
sipponen@mmk.su.se
* Corresponding author
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biopolymer, widely used in plastic films, bottles, and biodegradable medical devices
(Huang et al., 2018). Due to its slow crystallisation, poor thermal stability, and high cost, it is not suitable for long
shelf-life food storage applications. Lignin was introduced to improve the thermal and mechanical properties
of PLA. Lignin is a three-dimensional aromatic biopolymer which is obtained as a byproduct from the pulp and
paper industry. Our preliminary results (mechanical and thermal properties) have shown that 5 wt% and 10 wt%
of Kraft lignin (KL) are better weight composition in PLA matrix (Esakkimuthu et al., 2022). Additionally, to
improve the antimicrobial property of the packaging film, copper (Cu) nanoparticles were incorporated into the
PLA/KL composite through a casting process. Cu nanoparticles were produced using the sodium borohydride
reduction method, and characterised using UV and Particle size analyser. The anti-bacterial performance of
the composite film was evaluated against foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia coli (gram-negative) and
Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive). The proposed work provides significant advances to boost the utilisation
of PLA polymer at low costs for various food packaging applications.
Keywords: polylactic acid, lignin, copper nanoparticle, biocomposite, food packaging
Acknowledgement: The authors gratefully acknowledge receiving funding from EU-Horizon 2020–H2020-
MSCA-IF-2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (Grand number: 101031402—PACK-
NIN—H2020-MSCA-IF-2020) and the European Commission for funding the InnoRenew project [H2020
WIDESPREAD-2-Teaming grant number 739574]
REFERENCES
Huang. Y., Mei. L., Chen. X., Wang. Q., 2018. Recent Developments in Food Packaging Based on Nanomaterials.
Nanomaterials. 8, 830. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8100830
Esakkimuthu, E. S., DeVallance, D., Pylypchuk, I., Moreno, A., Sipponen, M. H, “Multifunctional Lignin-Poly (lactic
acid) Biocomposites for Packaging Applications” Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2022. DOI
10.3389/fbioe.2022.1025076
17–18 NOVEMBER 2022 I IZOLA, SLOVENIA 11
