Obtaining value from trash: preparation of nano silver using agricultural waste

What is it about?

Cotton gin waste is, as described, "trash" produced from the process of ginning cotton containing leaves, sticks, twigs, burrs, and other remnants of the cotton plant. It is one of the most abundant biomass resources and holds great potential for various material applications, including composites, packaging, and particleboard. In this study, we presented a simple yet efficient method to functionalize cotton gin waste. The parts of gin trash that are not cellulosic (i.e. not cotton) exhibit a remarkable ability to convert silver ions to silver nanoparticles. This was accomplished without the need for additional reagents or stabilizing agents typically used to prevent nanoparticles from aggregating into larger clumps. The silver nanoparticles were formed on the interior of the gin trash and were well dispersed within the matrix.

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Photo by Toni Cuenca on Unsplash

Photo by Toni Cuenca on Unsplash

Why is it important?

These results demonstrate the potential value of cotton gin waste as a versatile and sustainable resource for the development of antimicrobial and antifungal materials, exploiting the powerful biocidal activities of silver nanoparticles.