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Objective: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anti-obesity activity of Cannabis sativa seed Flour (CSSF) on obese mice. Methods: The experiment process was carried out in 8 weeks. In this time, three groups of animals were adopted: High caloric diet control group (HCD), group treated with 100 mg/kg of CSSF, group treated with 200 mg/kg of CSSF, and normal diet control group (ND). Then, the histopathological and biochemical parameters analysis has been realized at the end of the experiment. Results: As a result, body weight gain, epididymal, and perirenal adipose tissue decreased in the CSSF (Cannabis sativa seed Flour) group in both doses (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) compared to the HCD. CSSF lowered serum glucose level elevated by HCD. For lipid profiles, total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG) significantly decreased in the CSSF group. The histopathological results of this study showed a regenerative effect of CSSF on the kidney and liver tissues. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present study that CSSF can be used as a natural anti-obesity agent.

The washing process of synthetic fabrics represents the main source of primary microplastics in sea and oceans as large amounts of microfibers are released during washing. Recent researches have been focused on the development of effective approaches to mitigate the effects of microfiber release. Relevant approaches are aimed to design capturing devices and filters. In this work, the development, testing, and demonstration of the effectiveness of a new filtration system for washing machines are reported. This system is designed to retain microfibers avoiding their entrance into the wastewater system. Washing tests were performed using two different prototypes of the proposed filtration system, in order to optimize its design and efficiency. The obtained results demonstrate that, after its optimized, the proposed filtration system shows a capture efficiency of 64% toward microfibers released from commercial polyester t-shirts, comparable or even better than the efficiency shown by other commercial or prototype microfiber capturing systems.

Washing processes of synthetic clothes are considered the main source of microplastic pollution in the oceans, as during washing, microfibres are released and cannot be completely blocked by wastewater treatments plants, thus reaching the marine ecosystems. The development of mitigation approaches is strongly needed to prevent the impact of microplastics on marine environments. With the aim to protect the fabrics during the washing processes and then reduce the release of microfibres, in this work, new finishing treatments of polyamide fabrics were performed by an ElectroFluidoDynamic (EFD) method. This approach was used to obtain homogeneous coatings of biodegradable polymers, namely poly (lactic acid) and poly (butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate), on polyamide surface, without affecting the fabric hand and wettability. The treatments were very effective, able to significantly reduce the amount of microfibres released during washing tests, proving to be a promising application to mitigate micro plastic pollution. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hypothesis In the last years, several cost-effective technologies have been investigated to functionalize textile substrates for large scale applications and industrial production. However, several limitations of currently used technologies still restrict the capability to form functional coatings finely controlling the textile surface properties and topographic structure of the coatings at sub-micrometric scale. Experiments Herein, we introduced a new non-conventional electrofluidodynamic technology – based on the use of electrostatic forces to polymer/composite solutions – for the application onto textile fabrics of functional coatings. With respect to particle/fibrous coatings usually applied through conventional electrospraying/electrospinning processes, the proposed approach is able to realize homogeneous and continuous coatings by a one-step process, imparting tailored functionalities to the textiles surfaces through the use of customized experimental setups. Findings We proved that this process can be successfully used to realize functional coatings based on a bioderived polymer, namely polylactic acid (PLA), on commercial woven polyamide (PA) fabrics. In addition, due to the usage of graphene derivatives or photochromic dyes in combination with PLA, the applied coatings are able to confer peculiar functionalities (i.e., electrical conductivity, photochromic properties, etc.) to polyamide fabrics, as proved by SEM, conductivity and UV irradiation measurements, for innovative applications in smart textiles, e-health and wearable electronics.

In this study, microparticles of bionanomaterials were obtained by polyvinylpyrrolidone, montmoril-lonite, and zinc oxide bionanosystems produced through solution intercalation technique combined with a spray-drying process, aiming for possible application as drug delivery systems. The final microparticles obtained were evaluated in terms of their production yield, which varies between 39.2% and 56.9%. Thermal analysis showed no major changes in Tg of the nanocomposites, compared to the pure PVP polymer. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a pseudo-spherical shape and confirmed the micrometric size of the microparticles. Transmission electron microscopy analysis corroborated the embedding of montmorillonite and ZnO within the polymer phase. Nuclear magnetic resonance and X-rays diffraction were used to study the nanoparticles dispersion, indicating a predominant intercalated morphology. This study suggests that the applied methodology is suitable for the high yields synthesis of nanocomposites PVP based microparticles with uniform size and shape, which can be promising for the production of a new drug delivery system.

Sandy beaches represent environmental compartments particularly vulnerable to litter pollution, and they reflect the magnitude of pollution of adjacent compartments: water and coastal areas. The substitution of conventional polymers by biodegradable materials is generally considered as an alternative for reducing environmental accumulation of plastic debris. The present study is aimed to investigate the degradation of poly(lactic acid), poly (?-caprolactone), poly(butylenesuccinate adipate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) buried in sand for 267 days, simulating them as beach litter. The analysed polyesters showed different degradation mechanisms and kinetics. PLA is mainly subjected to weathering by physical aging; after an initial faster degradation of the amorphous phase, PCL showed a decrease of its degradation rate; similarly to PCL, the degradation of PBSA started from the amorphous phase; PHB is clearly subjected to biological degradation. The degradation trend of the investigated materials in sand decreased in the order PHB > PBSA > PCL > PLA. PLA, PCL and PBSA did not undergo complete degradation in sand during the testing time.

Over the last few decades, a large number of pH sensitive materials with new compositions and structures have been proposed. Solid state sensors based on organic, inorganic and composite materials are actively investigated, with an increasing interest in the performance offered by nano-scale materials. Our review provides a thorough, up-to-date knowledge of a wide range of pH measurement methods and related sensing materials, firstly by introducing well established materials and methods for pH sensing and then, by covering recent developments in inorganic, organic and nano-engineered devices. The main sensor parameters, including sensitivity, stability, response time and testing conditions are reported. Given the importance of pH sensing in environmental applications, in particular seawater monitoring, sensors tested in seawater are highlighted and discussed.

Background: In Morocco, acute digestive system problems appear to be a famous daily ill which the most population deal with using medicinal plants. This work aims to inventory the plants used to deal with acute digestive system problems in the region of Fez-Meknes. Methods: A survey was carried out by means of a semi-structured questionnaire. A total of 423 interviews (108 of them are traditional health practitioners) were conducted. Botanical information about identified plants was carefully collected. Data were analyzed through the relative frequency of citation (RFC). Results: All respondents informed about the effectiveness of the medicinal plants and confirmed successful multiple uses of them. In total, 50 species belonging to 23 families were reported. The most-reported plant families were Lamiaceae (12 species), Apiaceae (10 species), Fabaceae, and Asteraceae (5 species). The most frequently used plants to treat digestive system acute problems based on their RFC values were: Foeniculum vulgare (8.58), Carum carvi (5.11) Glycyrrhiza glabra (4.56) Ammondaucus leucotrichus, Trigonella foenum-graecum , (4.20), Coriandrum sativum (4.01). The use of medicinal plants in the acute digestive system problems, according to the interviewed people, concerned six categories: Acute ache, digestion problems; intestinal comfort; bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Conclusion: Knowledge of medicinal plants used to treat acute digestive system problems was solid. Indeed, all the local population used medicinal plants as a first choice to deal with it. This study represents a useful inventory to preserve and spread this knowledge. Keywords: Ethnopharmacological survey; Digestive system problems; Medicinal plants; Morocco; Acute ache; digestion problems; intestinal comfort; bloating, diarrhea; constipation.

The washing of synthetic fabrics has been identified recently as one of the major contributors to the global release of primary microplastics to the oceans. The mechanical and chemical stresses of a washing process can cause the detachment of “microfibers” from the yarns composing a fabric, which cannot be completely removed by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Also, WWTPs should have an important role as barriers for the entrance of microplastics into aquatic environments, particularly for microfibers from the washing of synthetic clothes. The Canadian company Environmental Enhancements is selling the Lint LUV-R Washing Machine Discharge Filter as a device capable of screening out synthetic microplastic particulates, but no studies on its actual efficiencies are available. In conclusion, an effective prevention of microplastic release from the washing processes of synthetic clothes can be achieved only by applying mitigation actions at different stages including textile design, finishing treatments, washing method, and the treatment at WWTPs.

Objectives The Phytomedicine (PM) and Food supplements (FS) Market is considerably growing in Morocco a review of state is necessarily to structure and improve it. Methods Information was collected directly from the pharmacist through a questionnaire-based survey who was conducted in 284 pharmacies in the region of Fez-Meknes in Morocco. Data were analyzed and classified using relative frequency of citations (RFC). Results More than 98% of the pharmacies commercialized the PM and FS, 80% of the pharmacists deny the existence of a real area dedicated to them, the majority (94%) of them prefer phytomedicine rather than classic drugs. This study reported about 64 products as the most used by the population of the region of Fez-Meknes among them 48 FS (75%) and 16 PM (25%) and the most marketed products are used for Transit Disorders (28.34%), then Anxiety (22.17%) and ENT Disease (20.18%). Conclusions Despite the fact that Morocco is a country where people use medicinal plants daily, the commercialization of the PM and FS is still unstructured. Due to legal problem the PM Sold in the market are mainly exported. To assure development and also valorization of this sector the regulation of this market is highly required.

In this work, a new synthetic route is exploited to functionalize high surface area hyper-crosslinked resins by introducing amino groups into the hyper-crosslinked aromatic structure. The proposed functionalization aims to enhance the adsorption properties of the resin towards aromatic polar compounds, such as textile dyes. The obtained adsorbent was tested for the decontamination of wastewater from Indigo Carmine, used as model polar dye of the textile industry.

In this contribution, a preliminary study on the presence of microplastics in the Sarno River is reported. The complexity of the water samples recovered from the river highlights the necessity to develop an ad hoc analytical protocol to analyse and quantify microplastics in Sarno river.

The washing process of synthetic textiles represents one of the major source of microplastic pollution in world oceans. The present work is the first to investigate the peculiar structure of functional fabrics applied in outdoor apparel, in relation to microplastic release. Washing tests at lab scale were performed on several types of laminated fabrics, which differ for raw materials used, textile construction and characteristics.

The washing processes of synthetic fabrics have been identified as one of the main source of microplastic pollution in marine environment. Novel procedures to evaluate and quantify microplastics released during washings were developed as well as innovative approaches to reduce the microplastic’s release.

he washing of synthetic fabrics has been identified recently as one of the major contributors to the global release of primary microplastics to the oceans (Boucher and Friot 2017). First records of the presence of synthetic fibers coming from clothes washing machines, which end in sludge and sewage treatment plant effluents, were reported two decades ago (Habib, Locke, and Cannone 1998; Zubris and Richards 2005). Such fibers were shown to be persistent in both treated wastewater effluents and sludge produced by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)(Zubris and Richards 2005). Microplastics with fibrous shape were also found by Thompson et al.(2004) during a campaign sampling different beaches, estuaries, and coasts in the United Kingdom. The identified synthetic polymers were acrylic, polyamide, polyester, and polypropylene (Thompson et al. 2004). Despite these first accounts, it was only in 2011 that the presence of microplastics with a fibrous shape found in marine sediments was directly correlated to the washing of garments; this was done by comparing the proportions of polyester and acrylic fibers used in apparel with those found in habitats receiving sewage discharges and effluents (Browne et al. 2011). Synthetic fibers like polyester and polyamides represent a large cut (60%) of the global consumption of fibers in the apparel industry. The same global amount of fibers for apparel has been constantly increasing in the last two decades, exactly due to a 300% growth of the market of synthetic fibers in the same period (Boucher and Friot 2017).

Poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites containing calcium carbonate nanoparticles and two different low molecular weight plasticizers have been prepared by a two-step melt mixing process. Up to 9 wt% of nanoparticles were successfully added preserving the plasticity of nanocomposites and with beneficial effects on the elastic modulus and yield stress. Mechanical, thermal and transport properties were measured as a function of aging time, up to 20 weeks, to evaluate the phase evolution of the plasticized nanocomposites. An interesting improvement in the time stability of mechanical and transport properties was highlighted and related to the effect of particles/plasticizer interactions on phase structure.

New amino-functionalized vinylbenzyl chloride/divinylbenzene-based hyper-crosslinked resins (HCLRs) were synthesized with the objective of improving the HCLR polarity and affinity to carbon dioxide and polar dyes. The HCLRs chemical structure and textural properties were investigated and correlated to the adsorption performance of the modified (XDV-NH2) and plain resin (XDV). The functionalization induced a reduction of the HCLR total porosity, while promoting the formation of a highly microporous structure with significant porosity narrower than 1 nm. Tested for CO2 adsorption at 0 degrees C and 25 degrees C, despite a reduced total porosity, the amino-functionalized XDV-NH2 resin showed up to 3 times increased adsorption capacity, higher CO2 heat of adsorption and CO2/N-2 selectivity with respect to the pristine XDV. XDV-NH2 also showed superior equilibrium and dynamic adsorption capacity of indigo carmine from solution with respect to XDV. These results demonstrate that the strategy proposed for the realization of amino-functionalized hyper-crosslinked resins is highly effective to obtain a microporous polymers with a significantly increased polar character and enhanced adsorption of CO2 and polar dyes.

Nanocomposites based on thermoset polycarbonate and fumed silica nanoparticles were prepared by radical in situ polymerization. To avoid nanoparticle agglomeration, silica nanoparticles modified with a vinyl end capped silane agent were also used. The effect of silica particles and silica surface modification on the extent of polymerization and network density was evaluated. Silica nanoparticles reduced the amount of soluble oligomeric species forming during the diallyl carbonate polymerization and this was particularly pronounced in the case of modified silica. Nevertheless, the participation of surface modifier reactive groups to polymerization also caused a lower polycarbonate network density. SEM analysis showed that the proposed interfacial strategy was effective to control nanoparticle dispersion; no agglomeration phenomena were observed using modified silica. Nanocomposites preserved the poly carbonate stiffness while a toughness increase was recorded with the addition of neat silica. Particularly interesting was the effect of nanoparticles on the improvement of the abrasion resistance of the poly carbonate thus overcoming one of the drawback of this material. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New nanocomposite microporous materials obtained by adding functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) to styrene/vinylbenzyl chloride/divinylbenzene hyper-crosslinked resins were prepared and characterized. In order to promote the embedding of the MWCNT within the gel-type precursor, a suitable surface modi fi cation strategy was set up, based on the grafting of a poly(vinylbenzyl chloride) (PVBC) resin, able to participate in the hyper-crosslinking step, onto the nanotube surface. Characterization of the nanocomposites by FTIR spectroscopy and electron microscopy enabled the assessment of the e ff ect of the nanotubes on the structure and the morphology of the resin. Moreover, gas sorption measurements indicated that by addition of nanotubes it is possible to modulate the pore size distribution, the uptake of CO 2 and H 2 and the CO 2 /N 2 selectivity. Finally, modi fi ed MWCNT are also able to improve the adsorption capacity of phenol from water solutions, suggesting the possible application of the new microporous nanocomposites for water remediatio

Microplastic pollution caused by washing processes of synthetic textiles has recently been assessed as the main source of primary microplastics in the oceans. Therefore, understanding the effective contribution of the washing process of synthetic clothes to this environmental problem, is of great importance. In this study, wash trials at real scale were performed on commercial clothes by using a household washing machine in order to gain reliable data about the release of microplastics, and to identify possible influences of textile characteristics on the release. The wastewater was collected and filtered through subsequent filters with decreasing porosity, and the amount and dimensions of microfibres were determined. Microfibre release was analysed in relation to the nature and characteristics of the washed clothes. Results showed that microfibres released during washing range from 124 to 308 mg for kg of washed fabric depending from the type of washed garment that corresponds to a number of microfibres ranging from 640,000 to 1,500,000. Some textile characteristics, such as the type of fibres constituting the yarns and their twist, influenced the release of microfibres during washing. A great amount of microfibres of cellulosic nature was also released during washing of clothes made with a blend of polyester/cellulose. Finally the most abundant fraction of microfibres shed was retained by filters with pore size of 60 µm, presenting an average length of 360–660 μm and an average diameter of 12–16 μm, indicating dimensions that could pass through wastewater treatment plants and pose a threat for marine organisms.

The demand for key metals for the production of high-tech products is constantly growing in Europe, leading to relevant problems both in terms of supply risks and costs. Waste from Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is growing very fast in Europe, with an annual increase rate between 3 and 5%. Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), which are embedded in electric and electronics products, are very valuable waste products, since they are composed also of precious metals and key metals (about 25–30%). Recycling of PCBs is a very challenging task that has not been solved yet: recycling rates for traditional metals are around 30–35% and many critical key metals, as well as the non metal fraction, are not recycled. This work proposes a set of solutions to be adopted towards the automated zero-waste treatment of PCBs. They address selective disassembly of PCBs components, mechanical pre-treatments, chemical processes for the characterisation of metals material content of PCBs, as well as for the recycling of their non-metal fraction. New business models are finally proposed for the uptake of such solutions in a framework of integrated recycling chain.

Alkyd resin based nanocomposite coatings filled with different content of silicon oxide SiO and titanium oxide TiO nanoparticles and wt wt were prepared by solvent casting method Characterization of the prepared nanocomposite coatings was performed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry DSC and Scanning Electron Microscope SEM The nanocomposite coatings were also tested for their Chemical stability Mechanical properties Abrasion and Impact resistance DSC analysis shown that all the characteristic temperatures glass transition temperature Tg reaction temperature Tr were shifted to lower values by increasing the nanoparticle content Mechanical characterization confirmed good elasticity with bending of f cm and impact resistance of kg cm Increasing the nanoparticle content the wear resistance was changed as well Better abrasion resistance was registered for nanocomposite coatings with SiO nanoparticles compared to nanocomposites with the same content of TiO nbsp

The polar functionalization of vinylbenzyl chloride hyper-crosslinked (HCL) resins with ethanolamine at variable functionalization extent is reported. The functionalization reaction was investigated by a multitechnique approach to confirm the reaction mechanism and to calculate the yield of functionalization. Increasing the amount of ethanolamine grafted onto the HCL resin, the total pore volume of the resins decreased, while the microporous fraction increased and the pore size distribution evolved from bimodal to unimodal. The effect of the functionalization on the adsorption properties of the resins was investigated for CO2 sequestration and water purification applications. Both CO2 adsorption capacity and phenol removal efficiency from water solutions over the total pore volume of the resins were significantly improved. Moreover, the CO2/N2 selectivity significantly increased for the HCL resin at intermediate functionalization degree, which represents the optimal trade-off between high functionalization extent and porosity distribution evolution.

All-cellulose cotton composites were successfully prepared from cotton textile woven pre-forms using a fiber surface dissolution method in lithium chloride dissolved in N,N-dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc). Two different fiber surface pretreatments were used: (i) alkaline scouring with bleaching and (ii) enzymatic scouring with acid and alkaline pectinases followed with bleaching. The mechanical, structural and thermal properties of the all-cellulose cotton based composites were characterized through tensile tests, FTIR spectroscopy, C-NMR and TGA/DTA. Using scanning electron microscopy, the composite morphology was studied. The composites based on enzymatic scoured and subsequently bleached woven pre-forms have shown the best mechanical properties. The main advantages of the obtained all-cellulose composites are the facts that they are at the same time fully bio based, easily recyclable and biodegradable.

In the frame of a circular economy, the maximization of secondary raw-material recovery is necessary to increase the economic and environmental sustainability of landfill mining and reclamation activities. In this paper, the polyethylene-rich plastic fraction recovered from the reclamation of an abandoned industrial landfill (landfill-recovered plastic, LRP) has been characterized through spectroscopic, thermal, morphological, and mechanical analyses. Then, an economically viable valorization and recycling strategy was set up. The effectiveness of this strategy in the enhancement of LRP properties has been demonstrated through morphological and mechanical characterizations.

Nanotechnology has been considered to have high potential for food packaging applications very early on. The ability to provide additional consumer benefits through the improvement of key properties of packaging materials and the creation of new functionalities means that the increased use of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies is highly likely. It has however up to now failed to reach the widespread use that was initially expected, mainly because of remaining uncertainties on the safety of these materials during the various stages of their life-cycle, which limit legal and consumer acceptance. This paper aims at presenting the latest developments in the field of nanotechnologies for food packaging applications, describing the legal framework linked to their usage and attempts to clarify the current knowledge of the safety of these materials both for the consumer and the environment. It is shown that particulate migration into foodstuff is absent in many applications, which drastically reduces the potential risk during the use phase of packaging materials, i.e. the exposure of the consumer to nanoparticles. Other release routes are also evaluated, showing that, although safe in normal use conditions, prudence should still be used, especially with regard to release after disposal of the materials. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Packaging Technology and Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

[object Object]The subject of this study is chemical functionalization as means of structural modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The main goal of the experiments was to create highest density of carboxyl groups on multiwalled carbon nanotubes surface, necessary for further nanocomposite application. Two different types of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (I: outer diameter d = 50 % 100 nm, purity 84%, synthesized by pyrolysis and II: outer diameter d = 10 % 40 nm, purity 94%, synthesized by chemical vapor deposition) were treated by concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) and by alkaline mixture (NH4OH+H2O2). The alkaline medium as "milder" and less aggressive than nitric acid, was expected to be less destructive and cause minimal structural damage on multiwalled carbon nanotubes surface. Structural changes due to oxidation were observed by the Raman analysis, while the ratio of the intensities of the D and G peak was used to estimate the concentration of defects. Pristine and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and zeta (l) spectroscopy. The results showed that functionalization initiates changes in carbon nanotubes structure as well as in their density of states. It also results in carbon nanotubes shortening and exfoliation and decreases their agglomeration tendency. Carbon nanotubes functionalized by both acid and alkaline treatment can successfully replace conventional carbon fibers as fillers in polymer composites for sensing application.

Carbon fibers reinforced epoxy resins are used in a wide range of applications, such as automotive and aerospace industry. Because of their thermosetting nature, recycling at the end of the life cycle is a difficult issue. However, lack of recyclability poses environmental concerns to the use of these composite materials. In this article, a sustainable, cost-effective technological approach aiming at recycling postconsumer carbon fibers reinforced thermosets (CFRT) is proposed. Composites containing 50 and 70 wt% of CFRT particles were prepared by incorporating the filler fraction into a fluidified postconsumer expanded polystyrene matrix. A cold mixing approach consisting in the use of a low boiling solvent as a binder to guarantee the dispersion homogeneity on micro- and macroscopic level was set up. For comparison, analog composites were also prepared through melt mixing process. Morphological, mechanical, and thermal analyses allowed to prove the effectiveness of the cold mixing approach and to evaluate the influence of particle size on the performance of new recycled composites. Thermogravimetric analysis and thermal conductivity tests of samples highlighted further peculiarities of the cold mixing process. The approach proposed is an effective recycling technology for CFRT and could be extended to other postconsumer materials. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:1621–1628, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers

Cystalline-Cc and ultra-milled Amorphous-Ca cellulose were used as reactive filler to tune the performances of composite polyurethane-cellulose-foams, PUC. The effect of Cc and Ca on chemo-physical and mechanical properties of PUC was analysed through FTIR, morphological analysis, thermal conductivity and compression measurements. FTIR results show that, both Cc and Ca react with isocyanate through the OH functional groups contributing to the formation of a tough cellulose-polyurethane network. Morphological observations show that the addition of both Cc and Ca induces a decrease of average cell-size compared to the pristine-PU, thus confirming that they act as nucleating agent. In addition, the better dispersion of the Ca in the polyol, with respect to Cc induces, a finer cell leading to a reduction of the thermal conductivity around 33 % (for the composite loaded with 20 %wt-Ca) with respect to pristine-PU. Finally, the addition of Ca highly reactive modifies the mechanical behaviour from rigid-brittle to semi-rigid.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) foams, containing different amounts of microfibrillated cellulose, were prepared through an eco-friendly procedure based on high-speed mixing and freeze-drying. The effect of filler amount on cell shape and regularity was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the evolution of the microstructure was assessed through dynamic cryo-SEM. Fourier Transformed Infrared Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry measurements revealed the presence of hydrogen bond interaction among cellulosic filler and the matrix. The modulus and compression deflection of neat PVA were significantly improved by increasing the amount of microfibrillated cellulose content with respect to foams realised with pulp cellulose fibers.

A new and more alarming source of marine contamination has been recently identified in micro and nanosized plastic fragments. Microplastics are difficult to see with the naked eye and to biodegrade in marine environment, representing a problem since they can be ingested by plankton or other marine organisms, potentially entering the food web. An important source of microplastics appears to be through sewage contaminated by synthetic fibres from washing clothes. Since this phenomenon still lacks of a comprehensive analysis, the objective of this contribution was to investigate the role of washing processes of synthetic textiles on microplastic release. In particular, an analytical protocol was set up, based on the filtration of the washing water of synthetic fabrics and on the analysis of the filters by scanning electron microscopy. The quantification of the microfibre shedding from three different synthetic fabric types, woven polyester, knitted polyester, and woven polypropylene, during washing trials simulating domestic conditions, was achieved and statistically analysed. The highest release of microplastics was recorded for the wash of woven polyester and this phenomenon was correlated to the fabric characteristics. Moreover, the extent of microfibre release from woven polyester fabrics due to different detergents, washing parameters and industrial washes was evaluated. The number of microfibres released from a typical 5 kg wash load of polyester fabrics was estimated to be over 6,000,000 depending on the type of detergent used. The usage of a softener during washes reduces the number of microfibres released of more than 35%. The amount and size of the released microfibres confirm that they could not be totally retained by wastewater treatments plants, and potentially affect the aquatic environment.

This work is focused on the hydrolysis of cotton fibers from waste textiles to obtain micro and nanofibers to be used as reinforcements in polymer composites. To promote their compatibility with polymeric matrix, hydrolyzed cotton fibers were surface modified with various silane compounds. Thus, these fibers were mixed with commercial poly(lactic acid) (PLA) at 5% w/w loading by melt compounding. Acid treatments caused a decrease of the crystallinity index whereas the thermal stability was significantly improved, especially for cellulose fibers hydrolyzed in two steps. Morphological analysis revealed a reduction of the fibers diameter and a decrease of their length as a consequence of the hydrolysis. NMR analysis confirmed the silanization of the fibers by reaction with the silane agent. Tensile tests revealed that silanization treatments were able to increase the composite Young’s modulus and the stress at break with respect to the neat matrix, indicating that silanization improved the polymer/fiber compatibility interfacial adhesion. The overall results demonstrated that applying suitable surface modification strategies, waste cotton textiles can be effectively recycled as fillers in polymer based composites.

The washing processes of synthetic clothes have been lately identified as a main source of microplastic pollution in marine environment. During a common washing process, synthetic fabrics undergo mechanical and chemical stresses that induce the detachment of microfibers from the main yarns. Such microfragments remain in the wastewater, eventually reaching marine ecosystems where they represent a serious threat for the flora and fauna. A possible solution that could mitigate such source of microplastic pollution is the application of functional finishing treatments able to protect fabrics during washings, reducing the amount of microfibres released. The present work proposes an innovative finishing treatment of polyamide fabrics by using pectin, a natural polysaccharide extracted from fruits. Pectin was chemically modified by reaction with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), whose vinylic groups were exploited to graft pectin on the surface of the polyamide fabric, creating a coating on the fibres. The effectiveness of the surface treatment was assessed by using the following characterization techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Furthermore, washing tests of untreated and treated fabrics were carried out to assess the release of microplastics. The washing effluents were filtered and the filters were analysed by SEM to evaluate the amount of microfibres released. The obtained results showed that the application of the pectin-based coating, could reach a reduction of more than 80% of the number of microplastics released by untreated polyamide fabrics during a domestic washing process.

In this work, a systematic study aimed at comparing the amount of microfibres released from synthetic fabrics during washing tests performed by using a household washing machine and a lab scale Gyrowash system, a laboratory simulator of a real washing machine, is reported. The obtained results allow to conclude that the washing tests performed at lab scale are an effective analytical procedure to perform a low-time/low-cost estimation of the microfibre release from synthetic fabrics.

This study aims to investigate the degradation of biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA) buried in sand, to verify the behaviour of these polymers in habitat where plastic waste can be stranded when carried by the sea.

During the last 10 years, CNT based nanocomposites belong to a group of new materials that have intensively been tested for gas sensing, and great efforts have been spent for the development of gas sensors. The construction of SOx sensors is an important task because SOx containing oxides are dangerous having a negative influence on the environment and humans. Most of the literature data are related to MWCNTs based sensors for gases such as water vapors, NH3, CO2 and CO. In the present work, a promising application of screen printed electrodes with MWCNT/PANI nanocomposites prepared by a direct electro-polymerization method as a gas sensor was tested. Resistivity variations were found for different acid concentration. Surface changes of the SPE sensors before and after acid exposure, were followed by SEM. Polymer/CNTs interactions and their changes due to the acid vapors were studied by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The obtained results confirmed polymer/CNT – SO42− interactions and their characteristic band-shifting. SEM photos show the formation of typical oxid nanorods.