Polímeros: Ciência e Tecnologia
https://app.periodikos.com.br/journal/polimeros/article/doi/10.1590/0104-1428.20250121
Polímeros: Ciência e Tecnologia
Original Article

Impact of different surfactants on chitosan/sodium alginate films reinforced with bergamot oil

Aditya Gupta; Muhammad Jawad; Ahmed Al-Harrasi; Saurabh Bhatia

Downloads: 0
Views: 0

Abstract

Active packaging often contains essential oils and plant extracts, which are predominantly hydrophobic. Surfactants are added to stabilize the matrix, improve the dispersion, and ultimately enhance the effectiveness of the active compounds. In the present study evaluate how different surfactants affect Bergamot essential oil incorporated into chitosan and sodium alginate-based packaging film. The incorporation of surfactants leads to enhancement in film thickness and elongation at break, and tensile strength was reduced, which is attributed to altered intermolecular hydrogen bonding and increased chain mobility. XRD and FTIR analyses revealed chemical interactions between additives and polymeric chains that reduced crystallinity and peak intensities. Furthermore, optical, color, and functional properties including water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), swelling index, water contact angle, and antioxidant activity were analyzed. Overall, the results demonstrated that the strategic selection of surfactant enables the development of high-performance material for sustainable active packaging applications.

 

 

Keywords

eco-friendly packaging, green packaging, essential oil-based packaging, active packaging

References

1 Plastics Europe. (2023). Plastics – the fast facts 2023. Retrieved in 2026, January 27, from https://plasticseurope.org/knowledge-hub/plastics-the-fast-facts-2023/

2 Ellen MacArthur Foundation. World Economic Forum. McKinsey & Company. (2016). The new plastics economy: Rethinking the future of plastics. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved in 2026, January 27, from https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics

3 British Plastics Federation. (2025, December 3). Retrieved in 2026, January 27, from https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/applications/about_plastics__packaging.aspx

4 Singh, N., & Walker, T. R. (2024). Plastic recycling: A panacea or environmental pollution problem. Npj Materials Sustainability, 2(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44296-024-00024-w. PMid:39114578.

5 European Environment Agency. (2020). Plastics, the circular economy and Europe’s environment — A priority for action. Retrieved in 2026, January 27, from https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/plastics-the-circular-economy-and

6 Sharma, S., & Mallubhotla, S. (2019). Plastic waste management practices. In A. Rathoure (Ed.), Zero waste: Management practices for environmental sustainability (pp. 9-13). Boca Raton: CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429059247-7.

7 Gironi, F., & Piemonte, V. (2011). Bioplastics and petroleum-based plastics: strengths and weaknesses. Energy Sources. Part A, Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 33(21), 1949-1959. https://doi.org/10.1080/15567030903436830.

8 Xu, Y., Liu, X., Jiang, Q., Yu, D., Xu, Y., Wang, B., & Xia, W. (2021). Development and properties of bacterial cellulose, curcumin, and chitosan composite biodegradable films for active packaging materials. Carbohydrate Polymers, 260, 117778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117778. PMid:33712134.

9 Hefft, D. I., & Adeutnji, C. O. (2024). Alginate in food and beverage formulations. In D. I. Hefft, & C. O Adeutnji (Eds.), Applications of seaweeds in food and nutrition (pp.115-128). Amsterdam: Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91803-9.00017-2.

10 Schenk, S., Bucher, M., Herrenbauer, M., Schmid, D., & Schmid, M. (2025). Challenges of alginate-based cast films in plastic-free food packaging applications: an overview. Polymers, 17(22), 3061. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17223061. PMid:41304426.

11 Andreuccetti, C., Carvalho, R. A., Galicia-García, T., Martínez-Bustos, F., & Grosso, C. R. F. (2011). Effect of surfactants on the functional properties of gelatin-based edible films. Journal of Food Engineering, 103(2), 129-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2010.10.007.

12 Wu, S., Hatahet, T., Bona, B. L., Lodigiani, G., Zhang, M., Bombelli, F. B., & Al-Jamal, W. T. (2025). Incorporating Span 80 surfactant into lipid nanocapsules improves their biocompatibility and cellular uptake in B16F10 melanoma cells. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 672, 125358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125358. PMid:39954976.

13 Aksalamol, P. R., George, J., Guthige, M. R., Navaf, M., Sunooj, K. V., Kumar, R., & Semwal, A. D. (2024). Towards sustainable food packaging: optimization of suitable sorbitan surfactant for the development of PLA-based antifog film. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 46, 101368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2024.101368.

14 Olewnik-Kruszkowska, E., Ferri, M., Degli Esposti, M., Richert, A., & Fabbri, P. (2025). Innovative biobased active composites of cellulose acetate propionate with tween 80 and cinnamic acid for blueberry preservation. Polymers, 17(15), 2072. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152072. PMid:40808120.

15 Li, Q., Liang, W., Lv, L., Fang, Z., Xu, D., Liao, J., & Liu, Y. (2024). Preparation of PCL/lecithin/bacteriocin CAMT6 antimicrobial and antioxidant nanofiber films using emulsion electrospinning: characteristics and application in chilled salmon preservation. Food Research International, 175, 113747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113747. PMid:38128997.

16 American Society for Testing and Materials – ASTM. (2012). ASTM D882-12: Standard test method for tensile properties of thin sheeting. West Conshohocken: ASTM. https://doi.org/10.1520/D0882-12.

17 Erdem, B. G., Dıblan, S., & Kaya, S. (2019). Development and structural assessment of whey protein isolate/sunflower seed oil biocomposite film. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 118, 270-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbp.2019.09.015.

18 Brand-Williams, W., Cuvelier, M. E., & Berset, C. (1995). Use of a free radical method to evaluate antioxidant activity. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft + Technologie, 28(1), 25-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0023-6438(95)80008-5.

19 Khan, T. S., Shah, Y. A., Al-Harrasi, A., Al Dawery, S. K., Harharah, H. N., Harharah, R. H., Ahmad, M. W., Al-Kharusi, L., & Bhatia, S. (2025). Impact of various surfactants on the properties of fucoidan-based biopolymer films extracted from brown seaweed (Padina boergesenii) for active food packaging. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 327(Part 2), 146919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.146919. PMid:40819761.

20 Ivanova, N. A., Kovalchuk, N. M., Sobolev, V. D., & Starov, V. M. (2015). Wetting films of aqueous solutions of Silwet L-77 on a hydrophobic surface. Soft Matter, 12(1), 26-30. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5SM02043C. PMid:26451895.

21 Li, X., Tu, Z.-C., Sha, X.-M., Ye, Y.-H., & Li, Z.-Y. (2020). Flavor, antimicrobial activity, and physical properties of composite film prepared with different surfactants. Food Science & Nutrition, 8(7), 3099-3109. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.1526. PMid:32724574.

22 Yulianti, K., Gunawan, A. Y., Soewono, E., & Mucharam, L. (2020). The effects of surfactant on the evolution of a thin film under a moving liquid drop. Indonesian Journal of Science and Technology, 5(1), 75-85. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijost.v5i1.23100.

23 Brandelero, R. P. H., Yamashita, F., & Grossmann, M. V. E. (2010). The effect of surfactant Tween 80 on the hydrophilicity, water vapor permeation, and the mechanical properties of cassava starch and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blend films. Carbohydrate Polymers, 82(4), 1102-1109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.06.034.

24 Delacotte, J., Montel, L., Restagno, F., Scheid, B., Dollet, B., Stone, H. A., Langevin, D., & Rio, E. (2012). Plate coating: influence of concentrated surfactants on the film thickness. Langmuir : The ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids, 28(8), 3821-3830. https://doi.org/10.1021/la204386b. PMid:22283676.

25 Song, X., Zuo, G., & Chen, F. (2018). Effect of essential oil and surfactant on the physical and antimicrobial properties of corn and wheat starch films. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 107(Pt A), 1302-1309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.09.114. PMid:28970166.

26 Chuah, A. M., Kuroiwa, T., Kobayashi, I., & Nakajima, M. (2009). Effect of chitosan on the stability and properties of modified lecithin stabilized oil-in-water monodisperse emulsion prepared by microchannel emulsification. Food Hydrocolloids, 23(3), 600-610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2008.03.014.

27 Calambás Pulgarin, H. L., Caicedo, C., & López, E. F. (2022). Effect of surfactant content on rheological, thermal, morphological and surface properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and polylactic acid (PLA) blends. Heliyon, 8(10), e10833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10833. PMid:36247174.

28 Kong, I., Degraeve, P., & Pui, L. P. (2022). Polysaccharide-based edible films incorporated with essential oil nanoemulsions: Physico-chemical, mechanical properties and its application in food preservation—A review. Foods, 11(4), 555. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11040555. PMid:35206032.

29 Carrapiso, A. I., Pimienta, M., Martín, L., Cardenia, V., & Andrés, A. I. (2023). Effect of a chitosan coating enriched with an olive leaf extract on the characteristics of pork burgers. Foods, 12(20), 3757. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203757. PMid:37893650.

30 Tongnuanchan, P., Benjakul, S., & Prodpran, T. (2013). Characteristics and antioxidant activity of leaf essential oil-incorporated fish gelatin films as affected by surfactants. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 48(10), 2143-2149. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.12198.

31 Arzate-Vázquez, I., Chanona-Pérez, J. J., Calderón-Domínguez, G., Terres-Rojas, E., Garibay-Febles, V., Martínez-Rivas, A., & Gutiérrez-López, G. F. (2012). Microstructural characterization of chitosan and alginate films by microscopy techniques and texture image analysis. Carbohydrate Polymers, 87(1), 289-299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2011.07.044. PMid:34662963.

32 Kuczajowska-Zadrożna, M., Filipkowska, U., & Jóźwiak, T. (2020). Adsorption of Cu(II) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions by chitosan immobilized in alginate beads. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 8(4), 103878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.103878.

33 Zambito, Y., Piras, A. M., & Fabiano, A. (2022). Bergamot essential oil: A method for introducing it in solid dosage forms. Foods, 11(23), 3860. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233860. PMid:36496668.

34 Wong, S. T. S., Kamari, A., Abdullah, N. N. A., Yusof, N., & Wayan Sutapa, I. (2024). Preparation and characterization of bergamot essential oil nanoemulsion. IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science, 1425(1), 012031. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1425/1/012031.

35 Chalid, M., Husnil, Y. A., Puspitasari, S., & Cifriadi, A. (2020). Experimental and modelling study of the effect of adding starch-modified natural rubber hybrid to the vulcanization of sorghum fibers-filled natural rubber. Polymers, 12(12), 3017. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12123017. PMid:33348531.

36 Zhang, H., Han, Q., Gao, X., Tang, X., Chen, K., & Li, M. (2019). Impact of reinforcing additives on the structure and performance of composite films based on regenerated cellulose from corn stalk pith. BioResources, 14(4), 8455-8469. https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.14.4.8455-8469.

37 Pasieczna-Patkowska, S., Cichy, M., & Flieger, J. (2025). Application of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in characterization of green synthesized nanoparticles. Molecules, 30(3), 684. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30030684. PMid:39942788.

38 Arya, A., Sadiq, M., & Sharma, A. L. (2018). Effect of variation of different nanofillers on structural, electrical, dielectric, and transport properties of blend polymer nanocomposites. Ionics, 24(8), 2295-2319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-017-2364-7.

39 Boonpratum, C., Naemchanthara, P., Limsuwan, P., & Naemchanthara, K. (2022). Effects of chitosan and Tween 80 addition on the properties of nanofiber mat through the electrospinning. E-Polymers, 22(1), 234-248. https://doi.org/10.1515/epoly-2022-0029.

40 Shamsuri, A. A., & Siti Nurul, S. N. A. (2020). Functional properties of biopolymer-based films modified with surfactants: A brief review. Processes, 8(9), 1039. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8091039.

41 Kazak, M. B., & Tugrul, N. (2024). Comparison of the film properties of lemon and sour cherry seed essential oil-added glycerol and/or sorbitol-plasticized corn, potato, rice, tapioca, and wheat starch-based edible films. International Journal of Polymer Science, 2024(1), 9112555. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/9112555.

42 Maran, J. P., Sivakumar, V., Sridhar, R., & Thirugnanasambandham, K. (2013). Development of model for barrier and optical properties of tapioca starch based edible films. Carbohydrate Polymers, 92(2), 1335-1347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.09.069. PMid:23399163.

43 Ali, M., Ullah, S., Ullah, S., Shakeel, M., Afsar, T., Husain, F. M., Amor, H., & Razak, S. (2024). Innovative biopolymers composite based thin film for wound healing applications. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 27415. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-79121-8. PMid:39521931.

44 Sun, L., Sun, J., Chen, L., Niu, P., Yang, X., & Guo, Y. (2017). Preparation and characterization of chitosan film incorporated with thinned young apple polyphenols as an active packaging material. Carbohydrate Polymers, 163, 81-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.01.016. PMid:28267521.

45 Gomes, A. C. D., Silva, K. F., Freitas, A. J., Miranda, K. W. E., Santos, T. A., Borges, S. V., Dias, M. V., & Thomazi, A. C. (2021). Effect of surfactant on the formation of chitosan/ε-polycaprolactone blend films for food packaging applications. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-804708/v1.

46 Melliou, E., Michaelakis, A., Koliopoulos, G., Skaltsounis, A. L., & Magiatis, P. (2009). High quality bergamot oil from Greece: chemical analysis using chiral gas chromatography and larvicidal activity against the West Nile virus vector. Molecules, 14(2), 839-849. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules14020839. PMid:19255543.

47 Leggio, A., Leotta, V., Belsito, E. L., Di Gioia, M. L., Romio, E., Santoro, I., Taverna, D., Sindona, G., & Liguori, A. (2017). Aromatherapy: composition of the gaseous phase at equilibrium with liquid bergamot essential oil. Chemistry Central Journal, 11(1), 111. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13065-017-0340-y. PMid:29098462.
 

6abe5715a953951f5416d5a8 polimeros Articles
Links & Downloads

Polímeros: Ciência e Tecnologia

Share this page
Page Sections