Functionalization and cross-linking of carboxymethyl cellulose in aqueous media

Abstract

Lignocelluloses are the main components of the wastes of olive oil industrial production. Partially destoned olive wastes contain a small amount of oil and water. So, olive wastes should have lower fiber content in comparison with crude olive waste. Functionalization of cellulose extracted from olive wastes enhances its importance for production of antimicrobial materials. In this work, dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC), as cross-linking agent, was successfully prepared by using periodate oxidation of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), which had been previously prepared from olive oil by-products. CMC was modified with hydrazine monohydrate in order to prepare carboxymethyl hydrazide (NCMC), which was reacted with DCMC through Schiff’s base reaction, resulting in cross-linking of NCMC. Also, DCMC was reacted with succinic dihydrazide (SDH) through Schiff’s base reaction to give CMCSH. The water uptake of the prepared samples was also studied. All the modifications and reactions were confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were loaded onto the prepared cross-linked compounds and their loading was confirmed by EDX. The antimicrobial activities of the silver-loaded cross-linked compounds were investigated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as against yeasts.