Sustainable gelatin bionanocomposite based on multifunctional TiO2/Ag-NPs for parchment preservation

Abstract

AbstractA significant factor affecting the mechanical, chemical, and visual characteristics of historical parchment is biodeterioration. In order to treat and shield parchment samples from microbial and UV light degradation, gelatin, a biodegradable polymer, loaded with titanium dioxide/silver (TiO2/Ag-NPs) nanocomposites was utilized as a protective coating. TEM and XRD were used to characterize the synthesized nanocomposite, and it was subjected to antimicrobial activity tests, via disc agar plate diffusion and colony-forming units (CFU) technique, against a variety of microbes, including Aspergillus fumigatus N1, Byssochlamys spectabilis N2, Cladosporium xanthochromaticum SPN, and Streptomyces albidoflavus SP11, which had been previously isolated from historical parchment manuscripts. Samples that were not treated served as the negative control, while samples that were separately treated with titanium dioxide and silver served as the positive control. The findings revealed that the TiO2/Ag-NPs/gelatin nanocomposite (NCG) demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial properties in contrast to TiO2NPs, which demonstrated only a minor antimicrobial activity. Investigations were also conducted into the treated parchment’s morphological, chemical, mechanical, and optical qualities. Without compromising any of its characteristics, the prepared film can shield the treated parchment from microbial attack and slow down its accelerated aging process.