title: Lactoferrin-Immobilized Surfaces onto Functionalized PLA Assisted by the Gamma-Rays and Nitrogen Plasma to Create Materials with Multifunctional Properties.
abstract: Both cold nitrogen radiofrequency plasma and gamma irradiation have been applied to activate and functionalize the polylactic acid (PLA) surface and the subsequent lactoferrin immobilization. Modified films were comparatively characterized with respect to the procedure of activation and also with unmodified sample by water contact angle measurements, mass loss, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and chemiluminescence measurements. All modified samples exhibit enhanced surface properties mainly those concerning biocompatibility, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, and furthermore, they are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Lactoferrin deposited layer by covalent coupling using carbodiimide chemistry showed a good stability. It was found that the lactoferrin-modified PLA materials present significantly increased oxidative stability. Gamma-irradiated samples and lactoferrin-functionalized samples show higher antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cell proliferation activity than plasma-activated and lactoferrin-functionalized ones. The multifunctional materials thus obtained could find application as biomaterials or as bioactive packaging films.
authors.affiliation: "P. Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Department, Iasi 700487, Romania.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoleru
authors.affiliation: National Institute for R&D in Electrical Engineering , Bucharest 030138, Romania.
authors.forename: Traian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaharescu
authors.affiliation: "P. Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Department, Iasi 700487, Romania.
authors.forename: Elena Gabriela
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Hitruc
authors.affiliation: Jožef Stefan Institute , Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Alenka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vesel
authors.affiliation: "P. Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Department, Iasi 700487, Romania.
authors.forename: Emil G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Ioanid
authors.affiliation: "P. Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Department, Iasi 700487, Romania.
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coroaba
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna 1400, Austria.
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safrany
authors.affiliation: Veterinary and Food Safety Laboratory, Food Safety Department, Iasi 700487, Romania.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pricope
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences , Bucharest 060031, Romania.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lungu
authors.affiliation: Universität Rostock, Institut für Physik , Rostock 18059, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.affiliation: "P. Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Department, Iasi 700487, Romania.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vasile
keywords: PLA; carbodiimide chemistry; functionalized surface; gamma-rays; lactoferrin; plasma