The Development of New Nanocomposite Polytetrafluoroethylene/Fe₂O₃ NPs to Prevent Bacterial Contamination in Meat...

The bacterial contamination of cutting boards and other equipment in the meat processing industry is one of the key reasons for reducing the shelf life and consumer properties of products. There are two ways to solve this problem. The first option is to create coatings with increased strength in order to prevent the formation of micro damages that are favorable for bacterial growth. The second possibility is to create materials with antimicrobial properties. The use of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coatings with the addition of metal oxide nanoparticles will allow to the achieving of both strength and bacteriostatic effects at the same time. In the present study, a new coating based on PTFE and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles was developed. Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized by laser ablation in water and transferred into acetone using the developed procedures. An acetone-based colloidal solution was mixed with a PTFE-based varnish. Composites with concentrations of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles from 0.001-0.1% were synthesized. We studied the effect of the obtained material on the generation of ROS (hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals), 8-oxoguanine, and long-lived active forms of proteins. It was found that PTFE did not affect the generation of all the studied compounds, and the addition of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles increased the generation of H₂O₂ and hydroxyl radicals by up to 6 and 7 times, respectively. The generation of 8-oxoguanine and long-lived reactive protein species in the presence of PTFE/Fe₂O₃ NPs at 0.1% increased by 2 and 3 times, respectively. The bacteriostatic and cytotoxic effects of the developed material were studied. PTFE with the addition of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles, at a concentration of 0.001% or more, inhibited the growth of E. coli by 2-5 times compared to the control or PTFE without NPs. At the same time, PTFE, even with the addition of 0.1% Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles, did not significantly impact the survival of eukaryotic cells. It was assumed that the resulting composite material could be used to cover cutting boards and other polymeric surfaces in the meat processing industry.