Development of antibacterial biodegradable materials based on starch–nanocellulose–lemongrass essential oil

In this study, biofilms based on starch, nanocellulose (NC) obtained from durian peel and lemongrass essential oil (LEO) at concentrations ranging from 1% to 10% were developed. Nanocellulose obtained from agricultural by-product durian peel was analyzed by FTIR and optical imaging. The obtained biofilms with different LEO contents were examined morphologically by optical microscopy and evaluated for film- forming ability, color, biodegradability, antibacterial activity, water absorption capacity and solubility. The results showed that the addition of LEO at a concentration of ≤2.5% would help maintain the brightness and enhance the antibacterial activity of the film, especially against E. coli strains. However, higher concentrations of LEO (5% and above) will cause the stability of the obtained film to decrease, the color to become darker, the hydrophilicity to decrease and the biodegradation to be slower. In addition, the membranes containing NC and LEO exhibited lower solubility than the original membrane. These results suggest that the combination of starch-NC and LEO could form a potential and environmentally friendly packaging material.