Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Exploring the Role of Chitosan in Fabricating Biodegradable Films for Functional Food Packaging: A Review

This review examines the use of chitosan — a biopolymer derived from crustacean shells — in fabricating biodegradable food packaging films, evaluating its mechanical, antimicrobial, and barrier properties as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.

2023 Journal of Young Pharmacists 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Chitosan with Natural Additives as a Potential Food Packaging

Researchers reviewed the potential of chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin, as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. Chitosan-based materials combined with natural additives show promising antimicrobial and biocompatible properties while being biodegradable. The study suggests these materials could help reduce plastic packaging waste and the associated microplastic pollution from food industry sources.

2023 Materials 53 citations
Article Tier 2

A review of advancements in chitosan-essential oil composite films: Better and sustainable food preservation with biodegradable packaging

This review covers how films made from chitosan (a natural material from shellfish) combined with essential oils are being developed as biodegradable food packaging to replace conventional plastics. By reducing reliance on plastic packaging, these alternatives could help decrease the amount of microplastics that migrate into food and are ultimately consumed by people.

2024 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancements in Chitosan–Anthocyanin Composite Films: Sustainable Food Preservation with Biodegradable Packaging

This review covers recent progress in developing biodegradable food packaging made from chitosan (derived from shellfish) combined with anthocyanins (plant pigments), which can preserve food freshness while avoiding the microplastic contamination associated with traditional plastic packaging. These films have antibacterial and antioxidant properties and can even change color to indicate food spoilage, offering a promising alternative to single-use plastics.

2025 Foods 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental implications of Chitosan nanostructures

This review examines the environmental implications of chitosan nanostructures, focusing on the biopolymer's chemical and mechanical modification capabilities that enable its use in advanced membrane adsorbent applications. Researchers found that chitosan's unique properties make it a promising sustainable alternative material for environmental remediation, particularly given its biodegradable nature compared to synthetic polymer-based adsorbents.

2024
Article Tier 2

Two Fascinating Polysaccharides: Chitosan and Starch. Some Prominent Characterizations for Applying as Eco-Friendly Food Packaging and Pollutant Remover in Aqueous Medium. Progress in Recent Years: A Review

This review examines the properties of chitosan and starch—two biodegradable natural polymers—and their potential as eco-friendly replacements for petroleum-based plastic packaging. The authors summarize recent progress in improving these materials' strength, water resistance, and pollutant removal capabilities.

2021 Polymers 19 citations
Article Tier 2

An Antibacterial and Antioxidant Food Packaging Film Based on Amphiphilic Polypeptides‐Resveratrol‐Chitosan

Researchers developed a biodegradable food packaging film made from natural materials including chitosan and resveratrol that kills bacteria and prevents food spoilage. Unlike conventional plastic packaging that breaks down into microplastics, this film is made entirely from biological materials and poses no microplastic contamination risk. This type of eco-friendly alternative could help reduce the microplastics that enter the food supply through traditional plastic packaging.

2024 Small 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhancing water resistance and mechanical properties of starch‐based edible biofilms through chitosan, seaweed, and sodium tripolyphosphate modifications

Researchers developed improved starch-based edible biofilms using chitosan, seaweed, and sodium tripolyphosphate as sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic food wrapping. The study found that these modifications significantly enhanced the biofilms' mechanical strength and water resistance while maintaining non-toxic and antimicrobial properties, offering a promising eco-friendly replacement for conventional plastic packaging.

2024 Polymer Engineering and Science 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Fungal chitosan in focus: a comprehensive review on extraction methods and applications

Researchers reviewed fungal-derived chitosan as a biodegradable plastic alternative for food packaging, highlighting advantages over marine-sourced chitosan — including lower mineral content, year-round supply, and reduced microplastic contamination risk — alongside advances in extraction techniques such as deep eutectic solvents and enzymatic processing.

2025 Food Research International 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Seafood Waste-Based Materials for Sustainable Food Packing: From Waste to Wealth

This review examines how biopolymers derived from seafood processing waste — such as chitin and proteins from shells and fish byproducts — can be transformed into sustainable, biodegradable food packaging materials, supporting circular economy goals by converting waste streams into valuable products.

2022 Sustainability 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable biomaterials based on cellulose, chitin and chitosan composites - A review

Researchers reviewed advances in making sustainable composite materials from cellulose, chitin, and chitosan — abundant natural polymers found in plants and shellfish — as biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution. The review covers how these biopolymers can be dissolved and combined into fibers, films, and gels for a wide range of environmentally friendly applications.

2021 Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications 117 citations
Article Tier 2

Chitosan: A Novel Approach and Sustainable Way to Remove Contaminants and Treat Wastewater

This review examines how chitosan, a natural material derived from crustacean shells, can be used to remove pollutants including microplastics, heavy metals, and pesticides from wastewater. Chitosan's chemical structure allows it to bind and capture a wide range of contaminants, and it can be combined with other materials to improve its effectiveness. Developing affordable, biodegradable water treatment materials like chitosan could help reduce human exposure to microplastics in drinking water.

2025 Starch - Stärke 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The Environmental and Economic Viability of Chitosan Production in Guayas-Ecuador: A Robust Investment and Life Cycle Analysis

Ecuadorian researchers analyzed the environmental and economic feasibility of producing chitosan—a biodegradable biopolymer—from shrimp shell waste. Chitosan has potential applications as a natural plastic alternative and as a flocculant for removing microplastics from water.

2021 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Material and Environmental Properties of Natural Polymers and Their Composites for Packaging Applications—A Review

This review assessed the material and environmental properties of natural polymers including cellulose, starch, chitosan, and protein for food packaging applications, comparing their performance to conventional plastics. The authors found that natural polymer composites can approach the tensile strength and water vapor barrier properties needed for packaging while offering significant environmental benefits at end of life.

2022 Polymers 69 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Packaging Materials for Foods Preservation: Sources, Advantages, Limitations, and Future Perspectives

This review examines biodegradable packaging materials derived from natural sources as alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics for food preservation. Researchers found that materials made from polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids can effectively extend food shelf life while being more environmentally friendly. The study acknowledges that cost and performance limitations remain, but highlights recent advances in combining these natural materials with antimicrobial and antioxidant agents to improve their practical viability.

2023 Coatings 87 citations
Article Tier 2

Antimicrobial Effect of Chitosan Films on Food Spoilage Bacteria

Researchers evaluated the antibacterial activity of chitosan films combined with metal oxides and graphene oxide derivatives against Campylobacter jejuni and Listeria monocytogenes. The results support chitosan-based composite films as promising biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastic food packaging with inherent antimicrobial properties.

2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Chitin and Chitosan in Wastewater Treatment

This review examines how chitosan — a biodegradable material derived from crustacean shells — and its modified nanocomposites can be used to remove microplastics, heavy metals, and pesticides from wastewater. Chitosan-based materials show strong promise as low-cost, eco-friendly water treatment additives, though challenges around mechanical strength and acid stability still need to be overcome before widespread deployment.

2024 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Interaction of chitosan with nanoplastic in water: The effect of environmental conditions, particle properties, and potential for in situ remediation

Researchers tested chitosan — a natural polymer derived from shellfish — as a tool to aggregate and remove nanoplastic particles from water, finding it caused clumping at low doses but that high pH, dissolved organic matter, and surface chemistry of the plastics all affected its performance. The results suggest chitosan-based treatment has real potential for water remediation but requires careful tuning of environmental conditions.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress of biomass-based food packaging materials

This review examines biomass-based food packaging materials — including starch, cellulose, proteins, and chitosan — as renewable and biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based packaging, discussing development strategies to address current shortcomings in environmental performance, food safety, and functional diversity in the context of growing global microplastic pollution from packaging.

2025 SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología
Article Tier 2

Addition of Anadara Granosa Shell Chitosan in Production Bioplastics

Researchers optimized the composition of bioplastics made from tapioca waste with the addition of blood clam shell chitosan and glycerol, evaluating the quality characteristics of this biodegradable composite material as an eco-friendly plastic alternative.

2023 Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan (Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management) 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Nano-Silica and Sorbitol on the Properties of Chitosan-Based Composite Films

Chitosan composite films incorporating nano-silica and sorbitol were prepared and characterized, finding that the additives improved film flexibility and mechanical properties while maintaining biodegradability, with potential applications in food packaging.

2023 Polymers 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Engineering chitosan into fully bio-sourced, water-soluble and enhanced antibacterial poly(aprotic/protic ionic liquid)s packaging membrane

Researchers designed a water-soluble, antibacterial chitosan-based packaging film using fully bio-sourced materials, addressing growing concerns about microplastic pollution from conventional packaging. The resulting membrane showed enhanced antibacterial performance while remaining environmentally benign.

2023 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Chitosan-Based Films Blended with Tannic Acid and Moringa Oleifera for Application in Food Packaging: The Preservation of Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa)

Researchers developed biodegradable food packaging films made from chitosan blended with tannic acid and moringa seed powder, and tested them for strawberry preservation. They found that the bio-based films extended strawberry shelf life while providing antimicrobial properties, offering a potential alternative to conventional plastic packaging. The study suggests that natural polymer-based packaging materials could help reduce plastic waste in the food industry.

2024 Polymers 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Biopolymeric Nanocomposites for Wastewater Remediation: An Overview on Recent Progress and Challenges

This review examines how nanocomposites made from natural biopolymers like chitosan can be used to filter pollutants including microplastics out of wastewater. These biodegradable materials offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional water treatment methods, which matters for human health because cleaner wastewater means fewer microplastics reaching drinking water sources.

2024 Polymers 71 citations