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This article discusses a study conducted on stranded sardines along the Campania coasts in Italy. The study found the presence of cyst-like structures in the abdominal cavity of the sardines, which were identified as xenomas produced by microsporidia. Histopathological examination revealed the structure of the xenomas and identified the fungus as belonging to the Class Microsporidea, Family Glugeidea. Molecular identification confirmed the presence of Glugea plecoglossi, a parasite that can cause economic loss in fish populations. The study highlights the importance of considering the impact of these parasites on both wild and farmed fish. [Extracted from the article]

In the aquatic environment, plastics may release several hazardous substances of severe ecotoxicological concern not covalently bound to the polymers. The aim of this study was to examine the adverse effects of leachates of different virgin polymers, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS) on marine microalgae Dunaliella tertiolecta. The tests carried out on D. tertiolecta included: growth inhibition, oxidative stress (DCFH-DA), and DNA damage (COMET assay). Polypropylene and PS leachates produced growth inhibition at the lowest concentration (3.1% of leachate). In contrast, a hormesis phenomenon was observed with PE leachates. An algae inhibition growth ranking (PP>PS>PE) was noted, based upon EC50 values. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated were increased with leachates concentrations with PS exhibiting the highest ROS levels, while a marked genotoxic effect (30%) was found only with PP. All leachates were free from detectable quantities of organic compounds (GC/MS) but showed the presence of transition, post-transition and alkaline earth metals, metalloids, and nonmetals (

Biodegradable and active packaging films able to positively interact with fresh foods are extremely important to enhance the quality and the sustainability of the modern food industry. In this study, a novel biodegradable active packaging film is developed using thermoplastic cellulose acetate (CAT) and modified layered double hydroxide (LDH) as a filler. The active molecules, potassium sorbate, are ionically bonded to the LDH lamellae, resulting in delayed and controlled release system. By analysing the thermal and mechanical properties of the composites, it is found that the presence of the hybrid LDH-sorbate filler has a minor impact on the processability of the material, up to a concentration of 5% wt/wt. The kinetic release of the sorbate molecule from the composites films is evaluated using UV–Vis Spectroscopy, and analyzed by Brouers-Sotolongo kinetic equation. The active films are shown to be effective in preserving the physicochemical qualities of Pomegranate arils during storage. Overall, these results suggest that CAT active films have potential for use in the food industry to improve the shelf life and quality of fresh fruit. • Biodegradable and active composites films to improve the quality and the sustainability of food. • Thermoplastic cellulose acetate filled with organically-modified layered double hydroxide as active materials for packaging. • Controlled release of sorbate molecules from layered double hydroxide-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The recent advances in nanotechnology lead to a potential increase of the release of nanoparticles (NPs) into marine environment through different routes, with possible toxic effects upon the living part of this ecosystem. One of the ways of NPs marine contamination gaining today increasing concern stems from the widespread use cosmetics containing ZnO NPs as UV-filter. Although the possible adverse effects on marine organisms have been already ascertained, the information about the possible genotoxicity of ZnO NPs is still scant. In this work the spermiotoxicity of ZnO particles of different sizes (ZnO Bulk > 200 nm, ZnO NPs 100 nm and ZnO NPs 14 nm) was assessed, using Paracentrotus lividus spermatozoa, by evaluating the DNA damage of the exposed sperm, fertilization capability and DNA damage transmission to progeny. Our results showed that ZnO NPs induced DNA damages in spermatozoa after 30 min of exposure. While the sperm fertilization capability was not affected, morphological alterations (skeletal alterations) in offspring were observed and a positive correlation between sperm DNA damage and offspring quality was reported. This study underlines that a possible spermiotoxic action of ZnO NPs at concentration close to those reported in marine coastal water could occur. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • ZnO NPs induced DNA damage in sea urchin sperms. • Sperms damaged by ZnO NPs retained their fertilization capability. • Offspring quality was affected by pre-exposure of sperms to ZnO NPs. • Smaller ZnO NPs (14 nm) induced greater effects than bigger ZnO NPs (100 nm). • A unique Spermiotoxicity Index, taking into account all endpoints, was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today nanoparticles (NPs) have many applications in commercial products due to their small size and peculiar properties that, conversely, make them potentially toxic for humans and the environment. ZnO NPs are largely used in many personal care products, such as sunscreens and cosmetics. In this study the cytotoxic effects of ZnO particles with different sizes (ZnO Bulk, > 100 nm; ZnO NPs, 100 nm and ZnO NPs, 14 nm) upon the first developmental stages of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus , are evaluated. Morphological alterations are also assessed by embryotoxicity tests. The cytogenetic analysis highlighted that ZnO NPs interfere with cell cycle inducing a dose-dependent decrease of mitotic activity and chromosomal aberrations at higher concentrations (30 μM). Moreover, the larval development was affected by ZnO NPs 100 nm (EC50 = 0.46 [0.30–0.63] μM [Zn]) in a dose-dependent way. Size-dependent toxicity was instead not obtained for ZnO NPs. From our results could be highlighted that the presence of embryos, blocked in pre-larval stage, could be due to the induction of chromosome aberrations by ZnO particles, confirming that cytogenetic analyses allow evaluating possible NPs action mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of lignin, alkali lignin and lignosulfonic acid sodium salt, are blended into thermoplastic zein through melt mixing in order to develop biodegradable insulator materials for multifunctional applications in electronics. The effects of lignin type and content on the dielectric properties of the resulting bio-nanocomposites are investigated. The results indicate that, by modifying the structural arrangement of the zein with the use of lignin, it is possible to obtain bio-nanocomposites characterized by tunable dielectric properties. The bio-nanocomposites containing low amounts of lignin derivatives exhibit extensive protein structural changes together with a modification of the dielectric properties compared to the pristine thermoplastic zein. Changes in the dielectric properties of these systems are also observed to change over time, indicating a loss of plasticizer, as is evident by a decrease in the glass-transition temperature. At high frequencies, the resulting values of the dielectric permittivity and of the loss tangent demonstrate that the bio-nanocomposite can be used as biodegradable dielectric material for transient (temporary) electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal foams are being widely adopted in a number of applications relevant to heat transfer, in which many include thermal radiation as the predominant heat transfer mode. Radiative characteristics of porous media are determined either by analytical modeling or by experiments. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility to substitute the real structure, more complex and computationally expensive, with the simpler and lighter ideal foam representation. The radiative heat transfer in foams is investigated using home-made Monte Carlo Ray Tracing codes. The geometry of the real microstructure of a metal foam is obtained by employing X-ray computed tomography (XCT). The actual 3-D structure is imaged, from which the total porosity, surface to volume ratio and size of a representative elementary volume for thermal analysis are determined. Results from the tomographic structures are compared to computer-generated Kelvin and Weaire–Phelan foam structures. Numerical results obtained for the real and ideal geometries are compared. The agreement is good, especially when accounting for the effect of the ligament shape. The good agreement between the results obtained with reference to the Weaire–Phelan convex ligament structures and those for real structures, both in terms of extinction coefficients and scattering phase functions, suggests that such idealized structures can estimate with good accuracy the parameters for equivalent homogeneous media on the basis of the porosity and the specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid materials, a new class of materials obtained by sol-gel approach and based on the nanoscale interaction between inorganic and organic phases, have recently gained large scientific and industrial attention. In this work, the material designing of zein hybrid materials with tailored properties is addressed to the production of zein hybrid foams by both gas foaming and supercritical carbon dioxide, CO2 drying. Hybrid materials have been produced from thermoplastic zein and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane by a two-step procedure including reactive melt mixing and a simultaneous sol-gel approach. Protein structural changes have been investigated by infrared spectroscopy and correlated with thermomechanical properties. The hybrid foams have been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy in order to evaluate the effect of silsesquioxanes domains on the porous structure. Hybrid microcellular foams with homogeneous cellular structures have been obtained by both foaming approaches. A bimodal structure with bubbles characterized by micrometric and nanometric sizes was obtained in hybrid foams obtained with CO2 drying. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: A theoretical approach proposed in the literature has been used to develop a new radiative heat transfer model based on the tetrakaidecahedric representation of open cell metal foams proposed by Lord Kelvin. The analytical approach has been combined with numerical simulations based onto ray-tracing Monte Carlo method. An iterative matrix algebra implemented procedure has been used to consistently calculate the coefficients involved in view factors. The radiative conductivity of foams has been evaluated by means of the proposed model. Predictions are compared both with experimental results from the literature, obtained on several metallic foams, and with predictions given by an existing simpler model based on a cubic representation of the foam unit cell. The agreement of experimental results with predictions derived by means of the proposed model is good and far better than that with predictions by the simpler model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A simplified analytical–numerical method to model radiation heat transfer in metallic foams is proposed. It modifies a model taken from the literature and allows to predict the radiative conductivity for high and low porosity foams. A simplified cubic representative elementary volume of the foam is assumed and radiative heat flux is evaluated by computing radiosities and view factors. The analytical approach proposed in this paper slightly modifies some coefficients of the original model. Test ray-tracing and numerical simulations based onto Monte Carlo method are carried out in order to consistently calculate some view factors. The comparison with experimental results shows that predictions of the proposed model are more accurate than those of the original one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to utilize zein, a protein from corn, to develop bioplastic formulations in combination with reactive additives based on ligninic compounds and to investigate the effects of these highly interactive additives on the foamability of zein. In particular, different amounts of alkaline lignin and sodium lignosulfonate were added to zein powder and poly(ethylene glycol) through melt mixing to achieve thermoplastic bio-polymers, which were subsequently foamed in a batch process, with a mixture of CO2 and N2 as blowing agent, in the temperature range 50–60°C. The materials before foaming were characterized by X-ray and Fourier transform infrared analysis to highlight the physico-chemical interactions and the eventual destructuration of the protein secondary structure. After foaming, density measurements, scanning electron microscopy and image analysis have been used in order to evaluate the porosity and the pore size distribution of the microstructure of the foams and to determine the effect of the ligninic compounds on the foamability of the bioplastic. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

New organic-inorganic polyurethane-based hybrids with enhanced mechanical properties and thermal insulation properties are reported. Polyurethane-based hybrids are characterized by the intimate interactions of their inorganic and organic co-networks and prepared by sol-gel approach, have exhibited properties exceeding those of polyurethane foams, e.g. enhanced thermal stability, durability and thermal insulating effectiveness. However, mechanical properties have previously been poor. Here, new porous organic-inorganic materials consisting of a polyurethane network modified by in-situ formation of aerogel-like polysiloxane domains, were developed. They exhibit a multiscale-porosity which enhances the insulation, mechanical and thermal properties. The synthesis was performed through a novel stepwise process consisting of: preparation of a siloxane precursor based on methyl-triethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane; functionalization of traditional polyol for polyurethane foams with 3-(triethoxysilanepropyl)isocyanate as coupling agent; use of suitable catalysts and silicone surfactants; and foaming with methylene-di-isocyanate compound. The siloxane precursors and coupling agent led to formation of "aerogel-like" polysiloxane domains within the walls and struts of the polyurethane foams. The synthesis method enabled increased incorporation of the "aerogel-like" polysiloxane structures into the foams, compared to literature, with 20 wt% SiO 2 , reducing thermal conductivity of the hybrid foams 30% compared with pristine polyurethane, in addition to significant improvement in thermal stability and mechanical properties. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is threatening health and the economy worldwide, not only in clinical settings, but also in livestock and wildlife management. Among the numerous wild animals affected, sea turtles are particularly exposed to antibiotics, due to biological and habitat characteristics. This study analysed the hospitalisation records in a sea turtle rescue centre in southern Italy during the last decade, focusing on the antibiotic resistance of bacteria isolated from clinical samples and organs. Resistance patterns to 7 antibiotics were examined in 138 bacteria isolated from 60 loggerhead sea turtles, highlighting 6 main bacterial families with different resistance rates. Vibrionaceae represented the predominant family, although the resistance rates did not exceed 10.5%. Similar results were described for Shewanellaceae, whereas the less represented families were those with the highest resistance rates and numbers of multidrug-resistant strains, especially Enterobacteriaceae and Morganellaceae. Previous antibiotic therapies appeared to enhance resistance, emphasizing the need to improve antimicrobial stewardship. Isolated bacteria are considered opportunistic pathogens, but their antibiotic resistance might compromise treatment and rehabilitation, potentially affecting the population health of these endangered species. Given the possible transfer of resistance across species, these findings should be considered from a One Health perspective, including other animals, humans and the environment. Antimicrobial resistance affects all environments, endangering the health of numerous species, including wildlife. Increasing anthropic pressure promotes the acquisition and dissemination of antibiotic resistance by wild animals. Sea turtles, being particularly exposed, are considered sentinels and carriers of potential zoonotic pathogens and resistant strains. Therefore, this study examined the antibiotic resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from loggerhead sea turtles hospitalised in a rescue centre of Southern Italy over a 9-year period. Resistance to ceftazidime, doxycycline, enrofloxacin, flumequine, gentamicin, oxytetracycline and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim was evaluated for 138 strains isolated from the clinical samples or organs of 60 animals. Gram-negative families were the most isolated: Vibrionaceae were predominant, followed by Shewanellaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Morganellaceae. These last three families exhibited the highest proportion of resistance and multidrug-resistant strains. Among the three Gram-positive families isolated, Enterococcaceae were the most represented and resistant. The opportunistic behaviour of all the isolated species is particularly concerning for diseased sea turtles, especially considering their resistance to commonly utilised antibiotics. Actually, the multiple antibiotic resistance was higher when the sea turtles were previously treated. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to improve antimicrobial stewardship and monitor antibiotic resistance in wildlife, to preserve the health of endangered species, along with public and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vegetable tannin, a flavonoid-type natural polyphenolic compound, was used to promote the stabilization of polyurethane foams against UV radiation. Several polyurethane foams were synthesized by using an isocyanate, and a mixture of ethoxylated cocoalkyl amine and vegetable tannin. The content of vegetable tannin was varied from 0 to 40 wt %. The effects of tannin and water (used as a blowing agent) on the foaming kinetics and cellular morphology of foams were investigated. Samples were subjected to accelerated weathering under UV radiation for 3 to 24 h, and FTIR and DMA analyses were conducted to assess the performance change. The former analysis revealed a strong inhibiting effect of tannin on urethane linkage degradation during the UV treatment. The mechanical properties were significantly affected by the addition of tannin. The capability of the foams to withstand UV radiation was dependent on the amount of tannin. At tannin contents higher than 20%, the decrease in mechanical properties under UV irradiation was almost avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Aquatic protists are a sustainable source for food grade omega-3. • Strain selection is important for efficient omega-3 rich oil production. • Development of a sustainable biorefinery model is required to reduce overall production costs. • Evaluation of food by-products and waste as alternative nutrients for protist cultivation. Biotechnological production of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has become a commercial alternative to fish oil in the past twenty years. Compared to PUFA production by fatty fishes, that from microorganisms has increased due to its promising sustainability and high product safety and to increasing awareness in the expanding vegan market. Although autotrophic production by microalgae seems to be more sustainable in the long term, to date most of the microbial production of omega-3 is carried out under heterotrophic conditions using conventional fermentation technologies. The present review critically analyzes the main reasons for this discrepancy and reports on the recent advances and the most promising approaches for its future development in the context of sustainability and circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio‐nanocomposite films based on the vegetable protein, zein, and natural fillers, lignin derivatives, are potential candidates to produce biodegradable dielectric materials for transient, temporary, electronics. The dielectric properties of the biodegradable dielectrics can be tuned by modulating the film formulation and the typology of Lignin derivatives, as explored by Letizia Verdolotti co‐workers in article number 1605142. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In marine environment the release and the consequent sedimentation of ZnO NPs, mainly used in sunscreens, could provoke toxic effects in particular in grazer organisms, like sea urchins. In this work, a first evaluation of DNA and cellular effects on adult sea urchins Paracentrotus lividus exposed through the diet to different sizes (100 and 14 nm) ZnO NPs, was performed. Moreover, the consequent impact upon offspring quality was evaluated. Preliminarily results showed that the assumption of food containing ZnO NPs 100 nm provoked in adult echinoids damages to immune cells (33% of damaged nucleus) and transmissible effects to offspring (75.5% of malformed larvae). Instead food with ZnO NPs 14 nm provoked 64% of damaged nucleus in immune cells and 84.7% of malformed larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased use of bioplastics in the market has led to their presence in municipal solid waste streams alongside traditional fossil-based polymers, particularly low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which bioplastics often end up mixed with. This study aimed to assess the impact of cellulose acetate plasticized with triacetin (CAT) on the mechanical recycling of LDPE. LDPE–CAT blends with varying CAT content (0%, 1%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% by weight) were prepared by melt extrusion and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis (thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry), dynamic rheological measurements, and tensile tests. The results indicate that the presence of CAT does not significantly affect the chemical, thermal, and rheological properties of LDPE, and the addition of CAT at different levels does not promote LDPE degradation under typical processing conditions. However, the addition of CAT negatively impacts the processability and mechanical behavior of LDPE, resulting in the reduced quality of the recycled material. Thus, the presence of cellulose-based bioplastics in LDPE recycling streams should be avoided, and a specific sorting stream for bioplastics should be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory cells play key roles in restenosis upon vascular surgical procedures such as bypass grafts, angioplasty and stent deployment but the molecular mechanisms by which these cells affect restenosis remain unclear. The p110δ isoform of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is mainly expressed in white blood cells. Here, we have investigated whether p110δ PI3K is involved in the pathogenesis of restenosis in a mouse model of carotid injury, which mimics the damage following arterial grafts. We used mice in which p110δ kinase activity has been disabled by a knockin (KI) point mutation in its ATP-binding site (p110δD910A/D910A PI3K mice).Wild-type (WT) and p110δD910A/D910A mice were subjected to longitudinal carotid injury. At 14 and 30 days after carotid injury, mice with inactive p110δ showed strongly decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells (including T lymphocytes and macrophages) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), compared with WT mice. Likewise, PI-3065, a p110δ-selective PI3K inhibitor, almost completely prevented restenosis after artery injury. Our data showed that p110δ PI3K plays a main role in promoting neointimal thickening and inflammatory processes during vascular stenosis, with its inhibition providing significant reduction in restenosis following carotid injury. p110δ-selective inhibitors, recently approved for the treatment of human B-cell malignancies, therefore, present a new therapeutic opportunity to prevent the restenosis upon artery injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of thermal transport characteristics is of primary importance in the application of foams. The thermal characteristics of a foam heavily depend on its microstructure and, therefore, have to be investigated at a pore level. However, this analysis is a challenging task, because of the complex geometry of a foam. The use of foam models is a promising tool in their study. The Kelvin and the Weaire-Phelan foam models, among the most representative practical foam models, are used in this paper to numerically investigate heat transfer and pressure drop in metallic foams. They are developed in the "surface evolver" open source software. Mass, momentum, and energy equations, for air forced convection in open cell foams, are solved with a finite-element method, for different values of cell size and porosity. Heat transfer and pressure drop results are reported in terms of volumetric Nusselt number and Darcy-Weisbach friction factor, respectively. Finally, a comparison between the numerical predictions obtained with the two foam models is carried out, in order to evaluate the feasibility to substitute the more complex and computationally heavier Weaire-Phelan foam structure with the simpler Kelvin foam representation. Negligible differences between the two models are exhibited at high porosities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of their light weight, open porosity, high surface area per unit volume, and ther-mal characteristics, metal foams are a promising material for many industrial applica-tions involving fluid flow and heat transfer. The pressure drop and heat transfer in porous media have inspired a number of experimental and numerical studies, and many models have been proposed in the literature that correlate the pressure gradient and the heat transfer coefficient with the mean cell size and porosity. However, large differences exist among results predicted by different models, and most studies are based on idealized per-iodic cell structures. In this study, the true three-dimensional microstructure of the metal foam is obtained by employing x-ray computed microtomography (XCT). This is the "real" structure. For comparison, ideal Kelvin foam structures are developed in thefree-to-use software "surface evolver" surface energy minimization program. These are "ideal" structures. Pressure drop and heat transfer are then investigated in each struc-ture using the CFD module of COMSOL' Multiphysics code. A comparison between the numerical predictions from the real and ideal geometries is carried out. The predictions showed that heat transfer characteristics are very close for low values of Reynolds num-ber, but larger Reynolds numbers create larger differences between the results of the idea! and real structures. Conversely, the differences in pressure drop at any Reynolds number are nearly 100%. Results from the models are then validated by comparing them with experimental results taken from the literature. The validation suggests that the ideal structure poorly predicts the heat transfer and pressure drops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cellulose Acetate (CA) didn't affect industrial anaerobic digestion and composting. • Combined anaerobic digestion and composting ensure significant CA disintegration. • The main CA disintegration occurs under anaerobic environment. • The addition of CA increased food waste methane production. • Phytotoxicity test revealed how CA didn't affect the compost quality. The use of bio-plastic-based packaging as an alternative to conventional plastic packaging is increasing. Among the plethora of different bio-based plastics, the most relevant ones are those that, at the end of their life, can be treated with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Even in these cases, their impact on the waste processing and recycling is not always positive. This study aim to assess on a laboratory scale the influence on combined anaerobic digestion and composting industrial processes of a bio-based plastic film, namely cellulose acetate (CA), in pure and modified (additions of additive) forms. CA films were mixed with organic waste and subjected to: (i) anaerobic digestion; (ii) active composting and (iii) two stages of curing composting. Anaerobic digestion and composting were monitored through methane yield and oxygen uptake respectively; additionally, the bio-plastics degree of disintegration was assessed during all the processes. The final disintegration of pure and modified CA was 73.82% and 54.66%, respectively. Anaerobic digestion contributes to the disintegration of the material, while aerobic treatment appears to be nearly ineffective, especially for modified CA. The presence of cellulose acetate during anaerobic digestion of food waste increased the methane yield by about 4.5%. Bioassay confirmed the absence of possible toxic effects on the final compost from the bio-plastic treatment. Although bio-based materials are not the only solution to plastic pollution, the findings confirm the need to upgrade the organic waste treatment plants and the necessity to revise the requirements for the use of compost in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel biodegradable biomaterials were investigated for potential application in bone tissue engineering. The biomaterials were prepared by blending poly(ε-caprolactone) and thermoplastic zein, a corn protein, with or without the incorporation of hydroxyapatite particles. The biomaterials were characterized in vitro to assess the degradation in phosphate buffer saline for 56 days by monitoring weight change, morphology, wettability, and tensile properties. The interaction between the biomaterials and MG63 was evaluated by proliferation, morphological characterization, and osteogenic differentiation assays up to 28 days in in vitro cultures. The incorporation of thermoplastic zein within poly(ε-caprolactone) enhanced the hydrophilicity and degradability, while minor effects were observed after the inclusion of the hydroxyapatite particles. Compared to the neat poly(ε-caprolactone), the multiphase poly(ε-caprolactone)/thermoplastic zein–hydroxyapatite composite improved the osteogenic differentiation of MG63 cells and is being considered a candidate material for bone tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • Lab-scale disintegration test of cellulose acetate was extended at full scale. • Disintegration at full-scale (58–40%) resulted lower than the one in lab-scale tests (74–55%) • The main anaerobic degradation (50–36%) then the aerobic one (≃18%) was confirmed. • Significant superficial degradation of the samples was not found at micro-scale. • Plasticizer loss and deacetylation were the main degradation mechanisms. The ability of full-scale industrial plants to degrade bioplastics waste must be verified to exclude any negative effects on the quality of the process outputs. This study aims to assess the degradation of two thermoplastic cellulose acetate-based bioplastics, in pure and composite forms in both Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and Composting (C) industrial conditions. The main degradation occurred during AD, where a disintegration of about 36% and 50% was achieved from pure and composite thermoplastic cellulose acetate, respectively. The disintegration during C did not exceed 20% for both samples. The combined process resulted in a slightly higher degradation (58–40%) than that obtained in AD, revealing how the main alteration of samples occurred in an anaerobic environment. Despite this macroscopic degradation, the samples showed only minor superficial degradation as highlighted from SEM analysis. FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA andDSC analyses showed that the biodegradation mechanism involved mainly the plasticizer loss and deacetylation of the cellulose matrix, with only partial degradation of cellulose backbone However, both deacetylation and degradation were favored in AD and AD + C processes and from the presence of filler in anaerobic conditions. These results demonstrated how the degradation obtained on an industrial scale can differ significantly from those obtained in the laboratory scale, especially for pure thermoplastic cellulose acetate. Furthermore, current industrial AD and C process resulted not optimized for the treatment of thermoplastic cellulose acetate-based bioplastics. Hence, this works could help waste facilities managers to process emerging materials such as bioplastics in a more sustainable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of polymers from renewable sources for food packaging applications is steadily growing. However, as compared to thermoplastic synthetic polymers, they present problems when processed with traditional technologies and show inferior performances in terms of functional and structural properties. This review paper focuses, in its first part, on current issues related to processing, such as thermoplasticization of starch and proteins, extrusion of films and foams. In the second part, the strategies for the technological advancements aimed to improve barrier properties, to promote active antimicrobial functionality and to apply these materials also in demanding high pressure processing of packaged foodstuff are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]