Development of Bioplastics with Essential Oil for Bioactive Applications: Characterization and Evaluation

Progress in the development of bioplastics has been widely studied, especially as an alternative to non-biodegradable products derived from petrochemicals, which have significant environmental impacts after disposal. One promising approach is the addition of essential oils of plant origin, aiming to impart bioactive properties to bioplastics and accelerate the healing of skin wounds. In this study, we used the casting method and an experimental design to investigate the characteristics of a bioproduct resulting from the combination of copaiba oil, glycerol alginate and a crosslinking agent. We evaluated parameters such as moisture content, water solubility, thickness, and water vapor permeability (PVA). The results showed variations in moisture levels (from 7.87% to 48.87%), water solubility (from 15.38% to 93.13%), thickness (from 0.060 to 0.165 mm) and PVA (from 1.784 to 8.018 g·mm/m²·day·kPa). With the use of optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques to characterize the morphology of the films, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to identify the presence of sesquiterpenes and caryophyllene, active components of copaiba oil in the selected films. The results showed the formation of crystals observed in the SEM, as well as crystalline peaks detected in the XRD, indicative of the desired structure. The FTIR analysis confirmed the effective incorporation of the bioactive compounds, suggesting that the films maintain the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of copaiba oil.