Antibacterial activity and biodegradation of cellulose fiber blends with incorporated ZnO

Malis, Domen (author), Jeršek, Barbara (author), Tomšič, Brigita (author), Štular, Danaja (author), Golja, Barbara (author), Kapun, Gregor (author), Simončič, Barbara (author)

This research aimed to study the influence of lyocell with incorporated ZnO (CLY) for antibacterial activity and biodegradation of fiber blends composed of viscose (CV), flax (LI), and CLY. Fiber blended samples with an increased weight fraction of CLY fibers were composed, and single CLY, CV and LI fibers were also used for comparison. Antibacterial activity was determined for the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The biodegradation of fiber blends was investigated by the soil burial test. The results show that the single CLY fibers exhibited high antimicrobial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus bacteria and that the presence of LI fibers in the blended samples did not significantly affect antibacterial activity against E. coli, but drastically decreased the antibacterial activity against S. aureus. LI fibers strongly promoted the growth of S. aureus and, consequently, impaired the antimicrobial performance of ZnO against this bacterium. The presence of CLY fibers slowed down, but did not prevent, the biodegradation process of the fiber blends, even at the highest ZnO concentration. The soil that was in contact with the fiber blended samples during their burial was not contaminated to such an extent as to affect the growth of sprouts, confirming the sustainability of the fiber blends.

• Language: English
• Keywords: fiber blends, cellulose fibers, ZnO, antibacterial activity, biodegradation, soil contamination
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty; NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2019
• Number of pages: 12 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, iss. 20, art. 3399
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133140
• UDC: 677
• ISSN on article: 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma12203399
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3672176
• Publication date in RUL: 12.11.2021

MALIS, Domen, JERŠEK, Barbara, TOMŠIČ, Brigita, ŠTULAR, Danaja, GOLJA, Barbara, KAPUN, Gregor and SIMONČIČ, Barbara, 2019, Antibacterial activity and biodegradation of cellulose fiber blends with incorporated ZnO. Materials [online]. 2019. Vol. 12, no. 20,  3399. [Accessed 13 June 2025]. DOI 10.3390/ma12203399. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=133140

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Materials
• Shortened title: Materials
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 1996-1944
• COBISS.SI-ID: 33588485

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 17.10.2019

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mešanica vlaken, celulozna vlakna, ZnO, protimikrobna aktivnost, biorazgradljivost, onesnaženost tal