A Comprehensive Investigation on Ho Wood Essential Oil Solution or Gel Using Pickering Systems

• Published in: Journal of polymers and the environment 2023-06, Vol.31 (6), p.2624-2640
• Main Authors: Souza, Alana G., Ferreira, Rafaela R., Marciano, Jéssica S., Oliveira, Eder R., Kato, Maurício M., Yudice, Eliana D. C., Setz, Luiz F., Rangari, Vijaya K., Rosa, Derval S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Cellulose; Cellulose fibers; Chemical interactions; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Coliforms; Crystals; Disinfection; Droplets; E coli; Emulsions; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Essential oils; Flow stability; Gels; Hydrogen bonding; Hydrogen bonds; Hygiene; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Linalool; Materials Science; Morphology; Nanocrystals; Nanofibers; Oils & fats; Original Paper; Ostwald ripening; Polymer Sciences; Shear thinning (liquids); Sol-gel processes; Stability analysis
• ISSN: 1566-2543; 1572-8919
• DOI: 10.1007/s10924-022-02750-5

Essential oils have received increasing attention due to their known biological activities and health benefits. The emulsions should be more liquid or viscous (gels) based on the desired application. This work aimed to prepare ho wood (linalool) essential oil solutions or gels using the Pickering emulsion approach, providing a comprehensive overview of the nanocellulose morphology influence on the final property of the linalool material, from its morphology to its chemical interactions with the oil that could influence the formation of the gel or solution. The solutions were prepared using cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), while the gels were prepared with cellulose nanofibers (CNF). The Sol-CNC showed oval droplets of ~30 μm surrounded by nanocrystals anchored onto the oil surface via chemical interactions. The Gel-CNF showed droplets of ~40 μm encapsulated by the nanofibers and forming a three-dimensional network with a shear-thinning flow behavior, analyzed by Ostwald-de-Waele model. Both systems showed good stability over time and towards shear. The Sol-CNC stability is associated with new hydrogen bonds that maintain the structures together and avoid their instability, while the Gel-CNF did not alter the compound's chemical structures, indicating a steric mechanism. While the Sol-CNC samples only inhibited the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, the Gel-CNF inhibited Escherichia coli, S. aureus , and Salmonella . The stabilization and chemical interactions influenced the oil’s active component volatility, altering its antimicrobial action. The Sol or Gel samples are antimicrobial systems with unique properties that can be applied in a broad spectrum of products, such as hygienic, food, and disinfection.