ABSTRACT
Poor water resistance, mechanical properties and stability limit the food packaging applications of starch films. Since the properties of starch films are improved by incorporating phenolic compounds and anthocyanins from natural plant extracts, Hom Nil rice (HN) extract was incorporated into cassava starch solution to produce a starch-based packaging film. We evaluated the extraction condition to optimize the total phenolic and anthocyanin contents of the HN extract. The optimal ratio of ethanol solution:Hom Nil rice powder was 5:1 v/w% and the optimal extraction time was 60 min. The influence of HN extract on the viscosity of the film solution and the properties of the obtained films were investigated. The results showed that the HN extract increased the viscosity of the starch solution. A film containing 8 wt% of HN extract produced the highest water contact angle and tensile strength, and hindered the retrogradation process. Therefore, cassava starch film modified with the proposed HN extract has the potential to be used as a food packaging material.
Subject(s)
Oryza , Starch , Food Packaging/methods , Permeability , Anthocyanins , Water , Phenols , Plant ExtractsABSTRACT
Toward the development of a practical and green approach for removing phosphate from water, a monolithic cryogel based on starch and calcium silicate hydrate (Cry-CSH) was employed as a phosphate adsorbent in a continuous flow system for the first time. The influence of flow rate, initial phosphate concentration, and adsorbent height on the adsorption efficiency was investigated. As the rate of flow and the initial concentration of phosphate increased, the total quantity of adsorbed phosphate dropped; however, the performance of the column was greatly enhanced by an increase in adsorbent height. The experimental data fit the Adams-Bohart model better than the Thomas and Yoon-Nelson models at the beginning of the adsorption process. To evaluate its applicability, the continuous flow system based on the monolithic Cry-CSH column was applied for the removal of phosphate from the discharge effluent of the Patong Municipality Wastewater Treatment Plant (Phuket, Thailand), achieving an excellent total adsorption of 94.61%.
