Abstract
Utilizing the natural biological properties of plant byproducts for a variety of applications presents the opportunity to combine nature's benefits with sustainable innovation. For this study, sugar beet molasses polymer (SBMP) was isolated from a byproduct of sugar beet processing. The SBMP was analyzed to determine its suitability for potential uses in biomedicine, cosmetics, and antimicrobial coatings. To determine whether the SBMP was indeed a polymer, MALDI-TOF MS was performed. The chemical composition of the SBMP was characterized using XPS, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and FTIR. The characterization concluded that the SBMP contains phenolic and hydroxide groups. The presence of these groups was further supported by the SBMP's high antioxidant activity (∼80% RSA). The SBMP also demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Rhodococcus erythropolis (∼80% GI at 1 mg/mg SBMP), Escherichia coli (∼80% GI at 1 mg/mg SBMP), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (∼38% GI at 1 mg/mg SBMP). Additionally, the SBMP showed no toxicity to human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) at concentrations up to 0.5 mg/mL and supported healthy cellular growth. Due to its strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, SBMP could be used in a variety of biomedical, cosmetic, and coating applications.