May 14, 2024
The potential of DNA from industrial vegetables byproducts for the preparation of sustainable materials
Vegetable byproducts from the food and agroforestry industries are a source of several molecules and macromolecules that can find application in the development of high-value materials because of their intrinsic properties. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is found in all living systems and is widely available in nature. It is a macromolecule well known for its biological function related to carrying and transmitting genetic information. The chemical composition and arrangement of this macromolecule can generate new materials with noble properties that are still being explored for applications apart from their biological function. The purpose of this work was to study the film formation and its properties using the DNA extracted from the food industry byproducts, namely orange and banana, in order to evaluate their properties. The material was capable of forming large films with green, mild, and easy processing techniques. The films were characterized by mechanical tensile tests, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), indicating their potential as an alternative natural material for developments in composite and biomedical fields.