An environmentally friendly, biodegradable, antioxidant, and antibacterial food packaging made from polylactic acid, nano chitosan, and iron nanoparticles produced through green synthesis

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

university of maragheh

10.22111/cnmst.2026.54408.1275

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable and functional food packaging materials has stimulated research into biodegradable polymers reinforced with active compounds. This study addresses this need by developing a novel polylactic acid (1)-based film combined with green-method synthesized iron nanoparticles (using Artemisia absinthium extract) and nanochitosan to create an active packaging material with enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant properties. A biodegradable food packaging film was developed using polylactic acid, nanochitosan, and iron nanoparticles synthesized via a green-method using Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) extract. The main objective was to create a material with antibacterial and antioxidant properties to extend the shelf life of food products. Iron nanoparticles were synthesized using the extract and FeCl₃·6H₂O and then coated with chitosan. The films were produced by solvent casting and their properties were investigated. The results showed that the antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities were significantly improved by adding the extract and nanoparticles. The film containing 5% extract showed optimal flexibility and antibacterial performance. The DPPH radical scavenging activity increased with increasing extract concentration and the films showed strong inhibition against S. aureus and E. coli. The films had lower water vapor permeability, average thickness of 0.089 ± 0.01 cm, moisture content of 65.61 ± 3.84% and solubility of 18.09 ± 2.51% indicating good stability. SEM, FTIR and XRD confirmed the successful synthesis and incorporation of nanoparticles. The greenness of the method was evaluated using AGREEprep software and scored 0.8, indicating high environmental compatibility.

Keywords

References

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Challenges in Nano and Micro Scale Science and Technology
Volume 13, Issue 1
March 2025
Pages 15-28

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