Preparation of cyanobacteria-enhanced poly(vinyl)alcohol-based films with resistance to blue-violet light / red light and water.

Abstract

The harmful cyanobacteria blooms which usually form in spring and summer, cause global eutrophication of freshwater and coastal marine ecosystems. This study tried to utilize cyanobacteria as a raw material to produce biological poly(vinyl)alcohol-based films. Cyanobacteria was firstly modified with poly(ethylene glycol), guanidine hydrochloride, carboxymethyl cellulose and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane as plasticizer, modifier, toughening agent and coupling agent, respectively. And then the modified cyanobacteria was introduced to poly(vinyl)alcohol and cellulose nanofibers/poly(vinyl)alcohol matrix to improve the barrier properties of poly(vinyl)alcohol to light and water. Compared with poly(vinyl)alcohol and cellulose nanofibers/poly(vinyl)alcohol films, the obtained cyanobacteria/poly(vinyl)alcohol and the cyanobacteria/cellulose nanofibers/poly(vinyl)alcohol composites exhibit better resistance to light and water. More interestingly, we found that after adding cyanobacteria, the poly(vinyl)alcohol-based films present better barrier properties to blue-violet light and red light. In adddition, introducing cyanobacteria into poly(vinyl)alcohol or cellulose nanofibers/poly(vinyl)alcohol matrix increases the surface roughness and contact angle to water of the composites.