Obtainment of nanocomposite membranes consisting of PCL/PMMA/zeolite for application as a chemical sensor in the detection of polyphenol residues from the coffee industry

• Grant number: 21/14992-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2022
• End date: July 22, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso
• Grantee: João Otávio Donizette Malafatti
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/22214-6 - Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/03632-0 - Development of sensor arrays based on zeolite nanostructures functionalized with porphyrins for polyphenol detection, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The cultivation of coffee has grown significantly in recent years, being one of the products with the highest benefit and consumption globally. However, wet processing of coffee generates large volumes of wastewater with a high content of phenolic compounds, such as caffeic and chlorogenic acid, which are toxic and persistent in the environment. Thus, it is necessary to control water quality after using it by monitoring the presence of the residual compounds. In this sense, chemical sensors become an alternative for quick, selective, sensitive detection, use in portable devices in the ultraviolet-visible region with a possible colorimetric alteration. Zeolites such as faujasite (FAU) have significant advantages attributed to the highest stability, elevated surface area, porosity, and lability due to the presence of charged counter ions. For this purpose, the presence of ions such as silver on the surface can interact with polyolefins, changing the optical properties of the contaminants. For sensor manipulation, the zeolites will be incorporated into a nanofiber membrane based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) due to biocompatibility and mechanical strength properties. To obtain nanofibers, solution blow spinning (SBS) is a methodology that allows the introduction of nanoparticles in a polymeric matrix simply and practically. Thus, this project proposes to obtain nanocomposites of PCL/PMMA/FAU nanofibers to monitor the coffee industry's pollutants. The FAU will be obtained from the part of the silica extracted from the rice husk, thus generating a second-generation product contributing to the functioning of the current circular economy proposals. The detections will be performed in a UV-visible spectrophotometer, and visual responses from colorimetric changes are also expected. This purpose seeks to understand the interactions that allow the sensor to function and the selectivity and sensitivity towards the contaminants of interest. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; RUELLAS, THAMARA MACHADO DE OLIVEIRA; SCIENA, CAMILA RODRIGUES; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. PLA/starch biodegradable fibers obtained by the electrospinning method for micronutrient mineral release. AIMS MATERIALS SCIENCE, v. 10, n. 2, p. 13-pg., 2023-01-01. (21/14992-1)

MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; DOMINGUES, MARCELO AVILA; MEIRELLES, MARIANA RODRIGUES; PERES, LAIZA GABRIELA SANCHES; BRESOLIN, JOANA DIAS; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Antifungal and ultraviolet-visible barrier properties in starch films reinforced with CuO nanoparticles. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, v. 140, n. 33, p. 14-pg., 2023-06-16. (21/14992-1, 19/09485-3)

BRITO, SABRINA DA COSTA; MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; BRASIL, EDNEIDE MORAIS; BRESOLIN, JOANA DIAS; SIVIERI, KATIA; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA; FERREIRA, MARCOS DAVID. A Comprehensive Approach to the SiO2/Ag Nanoparticles' Interaction on Polyvinyl Chloride Films and the Effects of Antimicrobial Activity. Brazilian Journal of Physics, v. 53, n. 4, p. 9-pg., 2023-08-01. (21/14992-1)

MEIRELLES, MARIANA RODRIGUES; MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; ESCOTE, MARCIA TSUYAMA; PINTO, ALEXANDRE HENRIQUE; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Magnetic Adsorbent Based on Faujasite Zeolite Decorated with Magnesium Ferrite Nanoparticles for Metal Ion Removal. MAGNETOCHEMISTRY, v. 9, n. 5, p. 14-pg., 2023-05-20. (21/14992-1)

NASCIMENTO, ANDRESSA CRISTINA DE ALMEIDA; MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; SIERRA E SILVA, MARIA LUIZA LOPES; MOREIRA, AILTON JOSE; THOMAZI, ADRIANA COATRINI; QUARANTA, SIMONE; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Hydrotalcite Supported on Polycaprolactone:Poly(methyl methacrylate) Fiber Membranes for Chlorogenic Acid Removal. WATER, v. 17, n. 7, p. 20-pg., 2025-03-22. (22/06219-3, 23/03632-0, 23/07525-3, 21/14992-1)

PERES, LAIZA GABRIELA SANCHES; MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; BERNARDI, BARBARA; MATTOSO, LUIZ HENRIQUE CAPPARELLI; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Biodegradable Starch Sachets Reinforced with Montmorillonite for Packing ZnO Nanoparticles: Solubility and Zn2+ Ions Release. JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT, v. N/A, p. 11-pg., 2023-01-31. (19/09485-3, 21/14992-1)

MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; BRITO, SABRINA DA COSTA; PEREIRA, VINICIUS ALEX CANO; CALISTO, ITALO; NETTO, SAAD BARBAR; FORMIGONI, CARLOS EDUARDO; INNOCENTINI, MURILO DANIEL DE MELLO; MITSUYUKI, MILENE CORSO; SIVIERI, KATIA; FERREIRA, MARCOS DAVID. Effects on Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties of Coconut Water Packaged in Silver-Based Materials. Packaging Technology and Science, v. N/A, p. 14-pg., 2025-02-18. (21/14992-1)

MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; TAVARES, FRANCINE ALINE; NEVES, TAINARA RAMOS; MASCARENHAS, BRUNO CANO; QUARANTA, SIMONE; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Modified Silica Nanoparticles from Rice Husk Supported on Polylactic Acid as Adsorptive Membranes for Dye Removal. MATERIALS, v. 16, n. 6, p. 18-pg., 2023-03-01. (21/14992-1)

MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; SCIENA, CAMILA RODRIGUES; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Copper-Modified Faujasite Zeolite Reinforcement in Biodegradable Starch Sachets for Potassium Fertilizer Releasing. Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers and Materials, v. N/A, p. 16-pg., 2025-06-10. (21/14992-1, 23/03632-0, 19/09485-3)

RUELLAS, THAMARA MACHADO DE OLIVEIRA; MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA; GIRALDI, TANIA REGINA. Kinetic and isotherm adsorption studies of Zn (II) ions on hydroxyapatite nanoparticles: Linear and nonlinear analyses. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, v. N/A, p. 18-pg., 2024-10-04. (21/14992-1)

BERNARDI, BARBARA; MALAFATTI, JOAO OTAVIO DONIZETTE; MOREIRA, AILTON JOSE; NASCIMENTO, ANDRESSA CRISTINA DE ALMEIDA; LIMA, JULIANA BRUZACA; VERMEERSCH, LILIAN APARECIDA FIORINI; PARIS, ELAINE CRISTINA. Antimicrobial membranes based on polycaprolactone:pectin blends reinforced with zeolite faujasite for cloxacillin-controlled release. DISCOVER NANO, v. 20, n. 1, p. 15-pg., 2025-01-14. (19/23412-9, 21/14992-1, 22/06219-3, 23/17483-6, 23/03632-0)