Utilization of nanocellulose derived from Ecuadorian banana peel (Musa x paradisiaca L.) in the fabrication of porous scaffolds for potential biomedical applications

<ns7:p>Abstract* Background Banana peel residues, rich in cellulose, are a promising raw material for producing nanocellulose, a biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic biopolymer for applications in biomedicine. This study focused on extracting nanocellulose from banana peels using acid hydrolysis assisted by ultrasound. Methods The Banana peel residues were cleaned, dried and grounded. The cellulose was obtained by alkaline (sodium hydroxide) and bleaching (sodium hypochlorite) treatment, cellulose obtained was washed and dried. The nanocellulose was extracted from cellulose by acid hydrolysis (sulphuric acid), and mechanical treatment (ultrasound). The nanocellulose was dried and characterized by inverted light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Scaffolds were fabricated with nanocellulose combined with chitosan, they were evaluated for morphology by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), porosity by the liquid displacement method, and water absorption capacity. Results A NC yield of 14.7% was obtained from the initial banana peel powder. When observed using an inverted light microscope, some CE fibers appeared dispersed, while others remained agglomerated. When observed using SEM micrograph of CE the onset of defibrillation was observed, but some fibers remained agglomerated due to residual non-cellulosic components, in contrast, NC fibers appeared as agglomerated spherical structures. The FTIR analysis of NC from banana peels revealed a spectral similarity with commercial celluloses. The morphological evaluation by SEM showed that all scaffolds exhibited heterogeneous porous structures with irregular surface topographies and varying degrees of pore size and interconnectivity. All scaffolds fabricated showed potential for biomedical applications; however, the nanocellulose–chitosan scaffolds exhibited the most promising properties, including an average pore size of 110.13 μm, porosity of 88.94% and water absorption capacity of 2418%. Conclusions These results underscore the potential of banana-derived nanocellulose as a renewable and functional biomaterial for biomedical applications, particularly in scaffold development, also the feasibility of valorizing agro-industrial residues into high-value biomedical products.</ns7:p>