Enzymatically assisted isolation of high-quality cellulose nanoparticles from water hyacinth stems

High quality cellulose nanoparticles (CNP) were isolated from water hyacinth stem cellulose (Cel-WH) extracted via successive thermochemical and alkaline-peroxide treatments, and further enzymatically hydrolysed using the commercial cellulase complex, NS22086, at 50ºC. The maximum CNP concentration was reached after 120 min of enzymatic hydrolysis, with a hydrodynamic diameter in the order of 200−250 nm and an increase of 5% in crystallinity as compared with Cel-WH. The obtained rod-shaped cellulose nanocrystals, as revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), exhibited a nominal diameter of 15.6−29.4 nm, a length of 56−184.8 nm, and a height of 2.85−6.43 nm, indicating a low tendency to form aggregates. In the present study, it was found that water hyacinth stems are a valuable source for the isolation of high-quality CNP using an environmentally friendly procedure, with potential applications in nanomedicine and nanopharmacology.