New and effective cassava bagasse-modified biochar to adsorb Food Red 17 and Acid Blue 9 dyes in a binary mixture.

A promissory technic for reducing environmental contaminants is the production of biochar from waste reuse and its application for water treatment. This study developed biochar (CWb) and NH4Cl-modified biochar (MCWb) using cassava residues as precursors. CWb and MCWb were characterized and evaluated in removing dyes (Acid Blue 9 and Food Red 17) in a binary system. The adsorbent demonstrated high adsorption capacity at all pH levels studied, showing its versatility regarding this process parameter. The equilibrium of all adsorption experiments was reached in 30 min. The adsorption process conformed to pseudo-first-order kinetics and extended Langmuir isotherm model. The thermodynamic adsorption experiments demonstrated that the adsorption process is physisorption, exhibiting exothermic and spontaneous characteristics. MCWb exhibited highly efficient and selective adsorption behavior towards the anionic dyes, indicating maximum adsorption capacity of 131 and 150 mg g-1 for Food Red 17 and Acid Blue 9, respectively. Besides, MCWb could be reused nine times, maintaining its original adsorption capacity. This study demonstrated an excellent adsorption capability of biochars in removing dyes. In addition, it indicated the recycling of wastes as a precursor of bio composts, a strategy for utilization in water treatment with binary systems. It showed the feasibility of the reuse capacity that indicated that the adsorbent may have many potential applications.

Potential risk assessment and toxicological impacts of nano/micro-plastics on human health through food products.

The problem of environmental pollution with plastic is becoming more and more acute every year. Due to the low rate of decomposition of plastic, its particles get into food and harm the human body. This chapter focuses on the potential risks and toxicological effects of both nano and microplastics on human health. The main places of distribution of various toxicants along with the food chain have been established. The effects of some examples of the main sources of micro/nanoplastics on the human body are also emphasised. The processes of entry and accumulation of micro/nanoplastics are described, and the mechanism of accumulation that occurs inside the body is briefly explained. Potential toxic effects reported from studies on various organisms are highlighted as well.

Migration of microplastics from plastic packaging into foods and its potential threats on human health.

Microplastics from food packaging material have risen in number and dispersion in the aquatic system, the terrestrial environment, and the atmosphere in recent decades. Microplastics are of particular concern due to their long-term durability in the environment, their great potential for releasing plastic monomers and additives/chemicals, and their vector-capacity for adsorbing or collecting other pollutants. Consumption of foods containing migrating monomers can lead to accumulation in the body and the build-up of monomers in the body can trigger cancer. The book chapter focuses the commercial plastic food packaging materials and describes their release mechanisms of microplastics from packaging into foods. To prevent the potential risk of microplastics migrated into food products, the factors influencing microplastic to the food products, e.g., high temperatures, ultraviolet and bacteria, have been discussed. Additionally, as many evidences shows that the microplastic components are toxic and carcinogenic, the potential threats and negative effects on human health have also been highlighted. Moreover, future trends is summarized to reduce the microplastic migration by enhancing public awareness as well as improving waste management.

Crystallization, thermal stability, barrier property, and aging resistance application of multi-functionalized graphene oxide/poly(lactide)/starch nanocomposites.

Poly(lactide)-starch matrix, blended with multi-functionalized graphene oxide, was synthesized by solution casting in this study. To improve its interface compatibility, the graphene oxide (GO) was grafted with maleic anhydride and subsequently modified by dodecyl amine. The chemical structure and morphology of functionalized GO (f-GO) were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallization property, surface wettability, morphology, thermal stability, and dynamic mechanical and aging resistance properties of the nanocomposite were determined. By XRD and morphological analysis, we observed the formation of well-dispersed nanocomposites. Thermo-gravimetric analysis revealed significant improvements in thermal stability. The isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization behavior of the PLA-starch-f-GO nanocomposites demonstrated that the f-GO that was added accelerated the heterogeneous nucleation of the nanocomposites. The surface hydrophobicity, UV-shielding capacity, and aging resistance properties of these nanocomposites were enhanced by the incorporation of the f-GO. The migration rate of plasticizer of the nanocomposites decreased compared with the group without f-GO. The storage modulus for these nanocomposites improved by dynamic mechanical analysis. These insights provide a strategy for constructing high-performance nanohybrids and broadening their application in the food packaging and pharmaceutical industries.