Bagasse microcrystalline cellulose-based antibacterial preservative for natural rubber latex

Fresh natural latex (NRL) is affected by bacteria, which leads to short storage period and easy solidification, which adversely affects subsequent processing and product quality. Novel latex preservatives need to be developed to solve the problems of rapid volatilization, strong irritation and environmental pollution of ammonia, which is commonly used as a preservative. In this research, an antibacterial agent MCC/ AgNPs was prepared by in-situ reduction method with bagasse microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a carrier and okra polysaccharide (OP) as a reducing agent. The synthesis and successful loading of AgNPs into MCC were verified using test methods such as field emission scanning electron microscopy . The antibacterial performance was evaluated as follows: (1) in the inhibition zone assay, the diameters of the inhibition zones against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 10.49 mm and 10.81 mm, respectively; (2) in the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test, the MIC values for both bacterial strains were determined to be 20 mg/L. The appropriate addition of MCC/AgNPs to fresh NRL can not only maintain its freshness for 24 h, provide sufficient time for subsequent processing and production, but also improve its processing performance. The bacteriostasis method proposed in this study has the advantages of wide raw material sources, being green and renewable, and having good antibacterial and preservation effects. It demonstrates considerable potential for natural latex preservation and provides a novel pathway for the high-value utilization of sugarcane bagasse in industrial applications.