Innovations in Green Nanotechnology for a Circular Economy

Green nanotechnology play a fundamental role in bringing a key functionality across the whole value chain of a product, through the beneficial properties of nanomaterials. The unique properties of nano-scale materials have made them attractive for a number of innovative, sustainable green applications in this context, the "green economy" concept has offered the opportunity to change the way that society manages the interaction of the environmental and economic domains. Health 2020 focuses on improving health for all and reducing health inequalities through improved leadership and governance for health. This paper reports the experimental results we achieved by testing the glutaraldehyde and trichloroisocyanuric acid multi-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles on Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua. Reticulation mixtures built up of functionalized nanoparticles and microorganisms were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and IR spectroscopy. Additionally, biological viability investigations were performed in order to establish the level of biological inhibition, as well as to check the potential solutions offered by the fabricated nanoparticles in the field of biohazard limitation and prevention. We prove that functionalized nanoparticles are able to collect all types of microorganisms and residual growing protein in less than one minute. Additionally, we demonstrate that functionalized nanoparticles are able to completely inhibit biological activity of Campylobacter jejuni, coming from the volume of built-up tested mixture. Also, by remixing the tested reticulation mixtures we prove that biological functionalities of Campylobacter jejuni are inhibited only partially.