Nanocellulose recycled from agro wastes and its application in pharma and other industries

Nanoocellulose, predominantly, is a chain of glucose residue and one of the renewable natural polymer in expanding field of sustainable materials easily obtained from nature. In recent times, nanocellulose is one of the rapidly evolving fields focused mainly on polymer and particle engineering and science. The particle engineering applications offer merits in terms of excellent physical properties, such as acceptable specific strength, low density, high toughness and good thermal properties. Additionally, some of the biological properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and low cytotoxicity, are salient features of nanocellulose. The nano size dimensions of the structural elements in cellulose backbone result in a high surface area and hence, will result in powerful interaction of these molecules with surrounding species, such as water, organic, polymeric compounds, nanoparticles and living cells. This review encompasses isolation techniques and method of manufacture of nanocellulose from various lignocellulosic natural wastes. This article emphasizes widespread applications of particle engineered nanocellulose in pharmaceutical, packaging, tissue engineering, cosmetic and medical devices. Various extraction and characterization techniques pertinent to nanocellulose are also discussed in this review.

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About this article: Yamini Shah, Roshni Vora – Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, L.M.College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. 2 Gujarat Technological University, Chandkheda, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India