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- Title
Use of Encapsulated Antimicrobial Substances in Innovative Litter Plastic Bag designed for Medical Waste and Litter with Significant Antimicrobial Load.
- Authors
Stramarkou, Marina; Papadaki, Sofia; Thanassoulia, Ioanna; Krokida, Magdalini
- Abstract
Healthcare activity inevitably generates waste, which contains pathogens in sufficient concentrations and poses risks for workers who manage it, public health and environment. The main sources of such waste are health units, such as hospitals, pharmacies, diagnostic centres, as well as, research centres and laboratories concerned with medical procedures. According to World Health Organization, 10 % to 25 % of healthcare waste is infectious and hazardous. Therefore good waste management practices that will minimize not only the negative effects of this waste in human health, but also the risk of infections in waste collection and disposal sites, are necessary. In this framework, the development of a litter low density polyethylene (LDPE) bag with encapsulated antimicrobial substances from oregano essential oil (OEO) and organic extract of citrus bioflavonoids (flavomix) through extrusion was performed. The encapsulated agents were gradually released into the inner content of the bag, neutralizing the studied contained microbes. The encapsulated structures were evaluated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The encapsulation efficiency (EE), as well as the controlled release of the encapsulated compounds, were determined using Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS). The gradual release of the encapsulated antimicrobial agents was studied by storing the produced polymers under controlled conditions of temperature-radiation (20 °C-darkness and 45 °Clight) and humidity (relative humidity-RH 35, 70 and 95 %) for 60 days. The results showed that EE was higher than 70 %. The 60-days analysis exhibited that elevated temperature (45 °C) and humidity (95 % RH) values led to increased release. Finally, the produced films have the potential to be applied in medical waste and the gradual release of the antimicrobial agents will ensure the elimination of contained microbes.
- Subjects
PLASTIC bags; ENCAPSULATION (Catalysis); ANTI-infective agents; LOW density polyethylene; ESSENTIAL oils
- Publication
CET Journal - Chemical Engineering Transactions, 2022, Vol 91, p337
- ISSN
1974-9791
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3303/CET2291057