New Trends in Clay-Based Nanohybrid Applications: Essential Oil Encapsulation Strategies to Improve Their Biological Activity

Essential oils (EOs) are used in medicinal, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, and food industries thanks to their key properties and multiple benefits. Several techniques and embedding materials are used to nanoencapsulate EOs, in order to keep them from environmental conditions and boost their bioefficiency by controlled release. In recent years, the interest for clay nanoparticles as nanoencapsulation materials for EOs is increasing owing to their abundance in nature, low cost, inertness, and special structure. Thus, this chapter focuses on highlighting data and contributions dealing with EOs incorporation into nanoclay particles, their current applications and nanohybrid formation benefits on the stability, bioavailability, and sustained release of EOs. An overview about nanoclays used for EOs nanoencapsulation is highlighted in the beginning of this chapter followed by a brief description of EOs’ chemical composition and properties.