Long-term antifungal activity of volatile essential oil components released from mesoporous silica materials

• Encapsulated and pure compounds were tested against Aspergillus niger.
• Encapsulation into silica was superior to pure compounds.
• Thymol, eugenol and thymoquinone inside silica inhibited fungal growth for 2 weeks.
• Essential oils components inside silica revealed beneficial properties.

Antimicrobial volatile substances from plants have become known as a suitable alternative to synthetic pesticides and food preservatives. The study tested the antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger of seven volatile essential oil components from plants—allyl isothiocyanate, carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, diallyl disulfide, eugenol, thymol, and thymoquinone. To provide long-term effects by controlled release and ease of application, these substances were encapsulated into mesoporous silica material MCM-41 and then compared to the effects of pure substances. Significant antifungal activity was verified in five out of the seven tested substances. These results were correlated with the evaporation rate of pure and encapsulated substances. It has been proven that by encapsulating selected volatiles, excluding sulfur compounds, their long-term effectiveness is ensured by controlled release and easy handling, with positive effects for their antifungal activity.

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