Optically Active, Chlorophyll-Based Fluorescent Dye from Calabrian Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes for Sustainable Applications

Antonio Ferraro, Rita Guzzi, Sephora Kamwe Sighano, Giuseppe Nicoletta, Roberto Caputo, Franco Cofone, Giovanni Desiderio and Oriella Gennari ()
Additional contact information
Antonio Ferraro: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Rita Guzzi: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Sephora Kamwe Sighano: Department of Physics, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Giuseppe Nicoletta: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Roberto Caputo: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Franco Cofone: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Giovanni Desiderio: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Oriella Gennari: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—Istituto di Nanotecnologia (CNR—Nanotec), 87036 Rende, CS, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: Using ultrasound-assisted extraction, we obtained a chlorophyll-rich extract from Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes ( OFI ) characterized through thin-layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and spectrophotometric absorption analysis. The dye exhibited a strong fluorescence response in the visible range (400–800 nm) with a pronounced red emission when excited with a UV source. Antioxidant ability was evaluated via DPPH assay, showing an IC 50 of 185 µg/mL, highlighting its potential for reactive oxygen species scavenging. The extract was incorporated into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), leading to fluorescence intensity enhancements of up to 40 times compared to the dye alone depending on matrix polarity, consistent with aggregation and polarity effects. Stability tests confirmed the dye’s resistance to CO 2 exposure, pH variations, and prolonged storage, positioning it as a viable alternative to synthetic fluorophores. These findings suggest that the OFI extract provides a functionally relevant, bio-derived dye platform promoting the valorization of agricultural by-products in high-value technological applications, highlighting a circular and scalable approach to developing ecofriendly fluorescent materials, aligning with sustainability and green technology goals.

Keywords: natural dyes; fluorescent materials; chlorophylls dye; Opuntia ficus-indica; anti-counterfeiting; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/16/7504/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/16/7504/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:16:p:7504-:d:1728056

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().