Desenvolvimento e avaliação de filme ativo a base de PVC incorporado com óleo essencial de laranja (Citrus sinesis (L.) Osbeck)

Abstract

A promising alternative the packaging industry is the substitution of synthetic additives of natural components such as essential oils, which addition to acting as potential plasticizing agents can also confer activities differentiated packaging, without compromising food security, as for example with antimicrobial action. Among the essential oils we can cite the orange oil (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). This oil has as its major constituent d-limonene which besides being biodegradable, is atoxic compound, acts in the prevention of dehydration and in the inhibition of microbial growth. Once incorporated in the polymers, the OEO can perform its properties in the food packaging, inhibiting the growth of pathogens due the oil migration process to the surface of the packaging of food. In this context, this study had the main aim develop plastic films prepared of poly(vinyl chloride) - PVC additivated with orange essential oil and evaluate their properties. The films were prepared by solution casting method, following the combinations of a central composite rotational design the type second-order with two independent variables: the concentration of the essential oil and of the mixing time. The response variables analyzed were the mechanical properties (Young's modulus, maximum stress and elongation), opacity, color, and permeability to water vapor. The orange essential oil (OEO) was characterized how much its main constituents by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and its antimicrobial activity for E. coli and S. aureus microorganisms. Were also evaluated migration orange essential oil in the PVC films in food simulants means and the mechanical properties after sterilization by gamma radiation at the dose of 25 kGy. It was noted that the major constituent found in OEO was d-limonene. The OEO presented antimicrobial activity in both microorganisms studied and conferred plasticizers characteristics of PVC films, making them more flexible and transparent. This plasticizer characteristic also performed in PVC films after sterilization by gamma radiation. The migration of OEO occurred on water, ethanol and olive oil means at different times, the films with higher concentrations of OEO migration velocity was faster than about films with lower oil concentrations. Face of the results, the additivation of the OEO can be considered promising for studies of active packaging from synthetic polymers as well as natural plasticizer.