Abstract
The present study aimed to extract nanocellulose (NC) from sugarcane bagasse agricultural waste through a chemical method (sulfuric acid hydrolysis and ultrasonication). Subsequently, the nanocellulose product was conjugated with polylysine (NC-PL) and assessed for its efficacy in reducing the toxicity of Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a mycotoxin produced by fungi commonly found in corn, wheat, and other grains. Experimental results confirmed the successful conjugation of NC and PL, as evidenced by FTIR peaks at 1635 and 1625 cm-1 indicating amide I and amide II vibrations in polylysine (PL). SEM analysis revealed a larger size due to PL coating, consistent with DLS results showing the increased size and positive charge (38.0 mV) on the NC-PL surface. Moreover, the effect of FB1 adsorption by NC and NC-PL was evaluated at various concentrations (0-200,000 μg/mL). NC-PL demonstrated the ability to adsorb FB1 at concentrations of 2000, 20,000, and 200,000 μg/mL, with adsorption efficiencies of 94.4-100%. Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were utilized to assess NC and NC-PL cytotoxic effects. This result is a preliminary step towards standardizing results for future studies on their application as novel FB1 binders in food, food packaging, and functional feeds.