Effects of residual solvent in polyvinyl alcohol nanofiber mats on breaking of aminoacids

Abstract

This study introduces a novel method for converting residual solvents into value-added compounds for food surface applications. It was aimed to fabricate and characterize polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber mats, and to evaluate the influence of different residual solvents in the fibers (water, acetic acid, and ethanol) on their disrupting amino acid efficacy. The electrospinning feed solutions were characterized for conductivity, surface tension, and rheology, and the resulting nanofiber mats were examined for morphology, chemical structure, surface charge, wettability, and thermal properties. The ability of the nanofiber mats to denature proteins was assessed with high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of amino acid breakdown. The nanofiber characteristics varied with solvent type. All mats were hydrophilic with moderately negative surface charge. Nanofiber mats containing residual acetic acid caused a pronounced reduction in detectable amino acids, indicating strong distruption effects. Mats containing residual ethanol showed a moderate effect. This approach could be useful for developing active food-contact surfaces that inactivate harmful proteins (e.g., viral spike proteins), thereby improving food safety and infection control. By explicitly focusing on sustainability, the work supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by minimizing hazardous solvent disposal and aligns with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) by introducing an innovative green chemistry solution. These results highlight both the novelty and environmental benefits of the residual solvent utilization strategy.