Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) films with antibacterial properties

Authors

  • Mayte Milenka Quispe Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química, PLAPIQUI (UNS-CONICET), Camino La Carrindanga Km 7, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
  • María Emilia Villanueva Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Luján, Luján 6700, Argentina
  • Guillermo Javier Copello Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco, IQUIMEFA (UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1113, Argentina
  • Olivia Valeria López Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química, PLAPIQUI (UNS-CONICET), Camino La Carrindanga Km 7, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina. Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Av. Alem 1253, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina
  • Marcelo Armando Villar Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química, PLAPIQUI (UNS-CONICET), Camino La Carrindanga Km 7, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina. Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Av. Alem 1253, Bahía Blanca 8000, Argentina

Abstract

In this work, films of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) with Irganox 1010 (0.3%, w/pPHB) as antioxidant, glycerol tributyrate (20%, w/pPHB) as plasticizer, and copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate (1 - 7.5%, w/pPHB) as antimicrobial were obtained by melt mixing and thermocompression. The incorporation of the antimicrobial increased the roughness of films surface. The materials containing Cu (II) sulfate presented lower ductility and mechanical resistance due to the crystals micrometric size. The incorporation of 0.5 % of the antimicrobial increased the WVP due to the high degree of hydration of the salt; however, higher concentrations (2.5 - 7.5 %) reduced this property due to an increased tortuosity. Although the materials presented antibacterial capacity against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram +) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram -), differences attributed to cell wall of the bacteria were observed. Thus, it was revealed that it is possible to obtain antibacterial PHB films, from the incorporation of a copper salt, that could be used for food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical packaging as well as for biomedical devices.

Published

31-07-2023