Abstract
This study offers a thorough analysis of the synthesis of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from oil palm fruit fiber (OPFF) and how antimicrobial hydrogels use them. A multi-step procedure including bleaching, alkaline treatment, oxalic acid, and enzymatic hydrolysis was used to extract CNCs from OPFF successfully. After the extraction procedure was refined, high-purity CNCs with superior thermal stability were produced. The investigation also looked at the antibacterial activity of CNCs functionalized with tetracycline hydrochloride (CNC-TAC) and erythromycin (CNC-ERY).
This study explores the extraction and use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from oil palm fruit fiber (OPFF) using experimental design and quantitative methodologies. The six main elements of the methodology are devoted to antimicrobial determination and the isolation and characterization of CNC from OPFF. A local oil palm farm provided the OPFF, along with various chemical reagents and antibacterial agents. Multiple analyses are conducted to characterize the samples, including FTIR, SEM, AFM, TGA, and other chemical composition assessments. Furthermore, the experimental approach for determining the MIC value using the broth microdilution method is elucidated, along with the functionalizing hydrogels for antimicrobial activity evaluation, using the agar diffusion method.
The results showed that the studied bacterial strains had intrinsic resistance because CNCs from OPFF alone showed weak antibacterial activity. Furthermore, the investigation explored the creation of antimicrobial hydrogels employing CNCs from OPFF in conjunction with other antimicrobial agents, emphasizing the complex interplay impacting their efficacy.
According to eco-friendly principles, the study emphasizes the possibility of using OPFF as a renewable and sustainable supply for CNC production. Further research is required to optimize extraction techniques and enhance the antibacterial characteristics of CNCs when paired with antibiotics, even if the study offers essential insights into CNC-based materials.
Recommendation
According to eco-friendly principles, the study emphasizes the possibility of using OPFF as a renewable and sustainable supply for CNC production. Further research is required to optimize extraction techniques and enhance the antibacterial characteristics of CNCs when paired with antibiotics, even if the study offers essential insights into CNC-based materials (Aoudi et al., 2022). These results add to the expanding body of knowledge about nanocellulose materials and their uses, especially in the biomedical industry, and pave the way for novel strategies to tackle antimicrobial problems.
To close the gap between the creation of new materials and the applications of antimicrobials, professionals in materials science and microbiology are encouraged to collaborate. The development of materials based on CNC technology and customized for specific industrial or medicinal applications would result from the interdisciplinary approach.
Additionally, the examination of biocompatibility and toxicity aspects of CNC-based antimicrobial materials is vital to assure their safety for human and environmental applications (Li et al., 2022). It is necessary to carry out toxicological investigations to evaluate the possible effects of these substances on living things.
To satisfy the growing need for renewable and environmentally friendly materials across various industries, efforts should also be focused on boosting the production of CNCs from sustainable sources, such as oil palm fruit fiber (Earley, 2022). Researchers from a range of fields, such as environmental science, microbiology, and materials science, should work together to fully utilize CNCs in tackling urgent issues in a variety of areas. Future research projects can significantly enhance CNC manufacturing and application by considering these suggestions. This will lead to the development of creative solutions for sustainable materials and potent antimicrobial agents with a wide range of applications in biomedicine and other fields.
Future Work
The investigation carried out in this work opens up several fascinating possibilities for further research. Optimizing CNC extraction operations using new purification techniques, different hydrolysis agents, and innovative pretreatment strategies is one possible avenue. CNCs with enhanced antibacterial qualities and broader applications in pharmaceuticals, food packaging, and biomedicine could result from these improvements.
It is crucial to do an in-depth study on CNCs’ antibacterial mechanisms, mainly when using them with other antimicrobial agents. With this information, the field of antimicrobial materials may undergo a revolution as tailored CNC-based materials that are incredibly effective against particular infections can be developed (Du & Feng, 2023).
Expanding the multidisciplinary collaboration among materials scientists, microbiologists, and biotechnologists can facilitate a comprehensive comprehension of the possibilities of CNC-based materials. These partnerships have the potential to spur research and lead to the creation of innovative antimicrobial treatments (Navarro, 2023).
Characterizing the biocompatibility, cytotoxicity, and environmental impact of CNC-based materials should be the main emphasis of study to progress the discipline. In-depth research is necessary to guarantee the sustainability and safety of these materials for use in industrial and medicinal settings.
An exciting task for the future is scaling up CNC production from sustainable sources, such as forestry and agricultural waste. It is necessary to conduct research into large-scale, reasonably priced production techniques to meet the increasing demand for ecologically friendly products (Qureshi et al., 2022).
Ultimately, the goal of future research should be to improve the production of CNCs, understand their antimicrobial mechanisms, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, evaluate their biocompatibility and toxicity, and tackle scalability. This will ultimately lead to the development of valuable applications utilizing CNC-based materials to benefit society and the environment.
References
Aoudi, B., Boluk, Y., & El-Din, M. G. (2022). Recent advances and future perspective on nanocellulose-based materials in diverse water treatment applications. Science of The Total Environment, 843, 156903. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969722040001
Earley, R. (2022). Sustainable Textiles for Fashion. Journal of Physics: Materials, 5(032001), 81-84. https://ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk/id/eprint/19449/1/p81_84_Titirici_2022_J._Phys._Mater._5_032001.pdf
Du, Y., & Feng, G. (2023). When nanocellulose meets hydrogels: the exciting story of nanocellulose hydrogels taking flight. Green Chemistry. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2023/gc/d3gc01829f
Li, L., Cheng, X., Huang, Q., Cheng, Y., Xiao, J., & Hu, J. (2022). Sprayable antibacterial hydrogels by simply mixing of aminoglycoside antibiotics and cellulose nanocrystals for the treatment of infected wounds. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 11(20), 2201286. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adhm.202201286
Navarro, S. L. (2023). Role of Sulfate Half-Ester Groups on the Oxidative Modifications and Network Formation of Cellulose Nanocrystals (Doctoral dissertation, Chalmers Tekniska Hogskola (Sweden)). https://search.proquest.com/openview/91fced3f5251f77697986ebc6c25e42e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2026366&diss=y
Qureshi, F., Yusuf, M., Kamyab, H., Vo, D. V. N., Chelliapan, S., Joo, S. W., & Vasseghian, Y. (2022). Latest eco-friendly avenues on hydrogen production towards a circular bioeconomy: Currents challenges, innovative insights, and future perspectives. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 168, 112916. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032122007973
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