Nanofibers have become a promising material in many industries in recent years, mainly due to their various properties. The only disadvantage of nanofibers as a potential filtration membrane is their short life due to clogging by bacteria in water treatment. The enrichment of nanofibers with active molecules could prevent these negative effects, represented by essential oils components such as Thymol, Eugenol, Linalool, Cinnamaldehyde and Carvacrol. Our study deals with the preparation of electrospun polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF)-based nanofibers with incorporated essential oils, their characterization, testing their antibacterial properties and the evaluation of biofilm formation on the membrane surface. The study of the nanofibers' morphology points to the nanofibers' diverse fiber diameters ranging from 570 to 900 nm. Besides that, the nanofibers were detected as hydrophobic material with wettability over 130°. The satisfactory results of PVDF membranes were observed in nanofibers enriched with Thymol and Eugenol that showed their antifouling activity against the tested bacteria Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. Therefore, these PVDF membranes could find potential applications as filtration membranes in healthcare or the environment.

• Keywords
• PVDF, antibacterial activity, antifouling activity, essential oil, nanofiber,
• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   chemistry   MeSH
• Biofouling * prevention & control   MeSH
• Escherichia coli MeSH
• Eugenol pharmacology   MeSH
• Nanofibers * MeSH
• Oils, Volatile * pharmacology   MeSH
• Thymol pharmacology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Eugenol MeSH
• Oils, Volatile * MeSH
• polyvinylidene fluoride MeSH Browser
• Thymol MeSH

Zein is renewable plant protein with valuable film-forming properties that can be used as a packaging material. It is known that the addition of natural cross-linkers can enhance a film's tensile properties. In this study, we aimed to prepare antimicrobial zein-based films enriched with monolaurin, eugenol, oregano, and thyme essential oil. Films were prepared using the solvent casting technique from ethanol solution. Their physicochemical properties were investigated using structural, morphological, and thermal techniques. Polar and dispersive components were analyzed using two models to evaluate the effects on the surface free energy values. The antimicrobial activity was proven using a disk diffusion method and the suppression of bacterial growth was confirmed via a growth kinetics study with the Gompertz function. The films' morphological characteristics led to systems with uniform distribution of essential oils or eugenol droplets combined with a flat-plated structure of monolaurin. A unique combination of polyphenolic eugenol and amphiphilic monoglyceride provided highly stretchable films with enhanced barrier properties and efficiency against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeasts, and molds. The prepared zein-based films with tunable surface properties represent an alternative to non-renewable resources with a potential application as active packaging materials.

• Keywords
• antibacterial activity, essential oils, eugenol, film, mechanical properties, monoglyceride, wettability, zein,
• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Antifungal Agents pharmacology   MeSH
• Biomechanical Phenomena drug effects   MeSH
• Calorimetry, Differential Scanning MeSH
• Escherichia coli drug effects   MeSH
• Eugenol pharmacology   MeSH
• Laurates pharmacology   MeSH
• Microscopy, Atomic Force MeSH
• Monoglycerides pharmacology   MeSH
• Food Packaging * MeSH
• Oils, Volatile pharmacology   MeSH
• Steam MeSH
• Permeability MeSH
• Surface Properties MeSH
• Wettability MeSH
• Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus drug effects   MeSH
• Zein pharmacology   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Antifungal Agents MeSH
• Eugenol MeSH
• Laurates MeSH
• Monoglycerides MeSH
• monolaurin MeSH Browser
• Oils, Volatile MeSH
• Steam MeSH
• Zein MeSH

Wasted synthetic fabrics are a type of textile waste source; the reuse of them brings environmental protection and turns waste into a valuable material. In this work, the used nylon (polyamide) stockings were transmuted into a fine fibrous membrane via an electrospinning process. In addition, the safety antibacterial agent, monoacylglycerol (MAG), was incorporated into a recycled fibrous membrane. The results revealed that the neat, recycled polyamide (rPA) fibers with a hydrophobic surface could be converted into hydrophilic fibers by blending various amounts of MAG with rPA solution prior to electrospinning. The filtration efficiency and air/water vapor permeability of the two types of produced membranes, neat rPA, and rPA/MAG, were tested. Their filtration efficiency (E100) was more than 92% and 96%, respectively. The membranes were classified according to Standard EN1822, and therefore, the membranes rPA and rPA/MAG were assigned to the classes E10 and E11, respectively. The air permeability was not affected by the addition of MAG, and water vapor permeability was slightly enhanced. Based on the obtained data, prepared rPA/MAG fibrous membranes can be evaluated as antifouling against both tested bacterial strains and antimicrobial against S. aureus.

• Keywords
• antibacterial membrane, electrospinning, filtration, polyamide, recycling of textile waste, stocking,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH