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Biodegradable plastics are a kind of plastic that may naturally decompose in the environment, cutting down on waste and pollution. Due to the damaging effects of conventional plastics on the environment, the manufacture and marketing of biodegradable plastics have gained importance in recent years. Renewable resources, including corn flour, are used as the main source in the production of biodegradable polymers. The demand from consumers for environmentally friendly products is driving a rapid expansion of the biodegradable plastics market. A wide range of products, including packaging, agricultural equipment, and medical supplies, use biodegradable plastics. A thorough grasp of the market, consumer preferences, and environmental restrictions is necessary for the development and marketing of biodegradable plastics. Since they can naturally decompose without harming the environment, biodegradable plastics are an environmentally friendly substitute for conventional plastics. Utilizing renewable resources, such as starch, cellulose, or vegetable oil, which are broken down by microorganisms into byproducts of nature, allows for the production of biodegradable plastics. Targeting consumers and businesses who are environmentally conscious, marketing biodegradable plastics involves highlighting the advantages of using sustainable materials and their positive effects on the environment. As consumers and businesses become more conscious of the negative environmental effects of conventional plastics and as there is a growing need for sustainable alternatives, biodegradable plastic has grown in popularity. Businesses have numerous options to stand out from rivals and contribute to a more sustainable future through the manufacturing and marketing of biodegradable plastics.

Chemical and manufacturing plants serve the public by providing a product, but they also have a duty to keep the public safe from any potential negative impacts of their operation as well as their products. Sustainability, safety, and human and environmental health must be considered in any process. For my technical project, my capstone team designed a process to develop a sustainable material with minimal environmental impact. For my STS research, I studied a case in which a chemical company knowingly allowed an entire community to be directly harmed by the company’s actions and its product. While my technical project and STS research are on two ends of a spectrum, they both illustrate the importance of considering the well-being of the public when operating a chemical or manufacturing process. The primary motivation behind my technical project was the plastic waste crisis, particularly the vast amounts of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean. Traditional plastics take hundreds of years to break down in the ocean, and even some “biodegradable” plastics will not break down without an industrial composting facility. My capstone team designed a sustainable process for the production of a naturally biodegradable polymer, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Our process utilizes crude glycerol, a waste product of biodiesel production, as the carbon feedstock for bacteria that naturally accumulate PHB in response to nitrogen limitation. After accumulating in the bacteria during fermentation, the PHB is isolated from the cells and formed into pellets, where it can be sold to plastics manufacturers for single-use consumer applications. If PHB products end up in the ocean instead of being properly disposed of, they will fully biodegrade in a matter of weeks or months. My STS research centers on a chemical company that did not abide by a moral obligation to keep the environment and the public safe. My research focuses on the C8 poisoning of Parkersburg, West Virginia by the chemical company DuPont. DuPont continued to manufacture Teflon, which required the chemical C8, and release the chemical waste into the water supply despite individuals at DuPont being aware of the hazards to human and environmental health. Using actor network theory and the conditions of responsibility, I argue that there are identifiable individuals who are morally responsible for the harm caused to the Parkersburg community and ecosystem. Assigning the blame to a faceless entity (the company as a whole) obscures those who are truly responsible. By working on both projects simultaneously, I gained a better understanding of how a manufacturing facility can impact a community. Researching the DuPont case and learning how people at the company purposely hid the fact that their chemicals were causing birth defects and health problems made me more conscious of any potential dangers of the process that I was designing. I knew I would be designing a material that would have minimal environmental impact since it naturally biodegrades and is biocompatible, but I had not yet considered the environmental or health impacts of the process itself. My capstone team abided by inherently safer design in our process, including minimizing the use of chemicals when possible, minimizing transportation of chemicals, and properly disposing of any waste. In turn, working on my technical project provided insight into the inner workings of a chemical plant, which improved my understanding of the DuPont case. The quality of each of these projects was enriched by the other.

The enhanced material properties exhibited by the microbially synthetized polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymer poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(HB-co-HHx)] evidence that this naturally biodegrading biopolymer could replace various functionalities of established petrochemical plastics. In fact, the thermal processability, toughness and degradation rate of P(HB-co-HHx) can be tuned by modulating its HHx molar content enabling to manufacture polymers à-la-carte. We have developed a simple batch strategy to precisely control the HHx content of P(HB-co-HHx) to obtain tailor-made PHAs with defined properties. By adjusting the ratio of fructose to canola oil as substrates for the cultivation of recombinant Ralstonia eutropha Re2058/pCB113, the molar fraction of HHx in P(HB-co-HHx) could be adjusted within a range of 2–17 mol% without compromising polymer yields. The chosen strategy proved to be robust from the mL-scale in deep-well-plates to 1-L batch bioreactor cultivations.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is the main biobased plastic manufactured on an industrial scale. This polymer is synthetized by chemical methods, and there is a strong demand for the implementation of clean technologies. This work focuses on the microbial fermentation of agro-industrial waste rich in starch for the production of lactic acid (LA) in a consolidated bioprocess, followed by the enzymatic synthesis of PLA. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and the fungus Rhizopus oryzae were evaluated as natural LA producers in pure cultures or in fungal–lactobacteria co-cultures formed by an LAB and a fungus selected for its metabolic capacity to degrade starch and to form consortia with LAB. Microbial interaction was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and biofilm production was quantified. The results show that the fungus Talaromyces amestolkiae and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum M9MG6-B2 establish a cooperative relationship to exploit the sugars from polysaccharides provided as carbon sources. Addition of the quorum sensing molecule dodecanol induced LA metabolism of the consortium and resulted in improved cooperation, producing 99% of the maximum theoretical yield of LA production from glucose and 65% from starch. Finally, l-PLA oligomers (up to 19-LA units) and polymers (greater than 5 kDa) were synthetized by LA polycondensation and enzymatic ring-opening polymerization catalyzed by the non-commercial lipase OPEr, naturally produced by the fungus Ophiostoma piceae.

Presentatie over de klimaatexpeditie naar Spitsbergen, met een focus op Janneke Krooneman's ervaringen en bijdragen.

This study uses orange peel waste to create a biopolymer that can be used for different purposes. In order to achieve this, we evaluated various technologies for the production of the biopolymer, and tried to design the most environmentally friendly process possible. One of the reasons why this bioplastic should be manufactured is to participate in the replacement of common environmental hazardous plastic, which has been banned in many places. On the other hand, using orange peel as the main ingredient is an alternative and gives value to an organic waste that has limited use in circular economy solutions. In this research we present a methodology to create a bioplastic of orange peels. As a result, we obtained a biodegradable, flexible and resistant material to be used in the manufacture of containers, utensils, etc. In addition, it is a material that, given the raw materials used, is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Save), implying a non-toxic product that is safe for the consumer.

Bioplastics are plastics derived from natural resources like corn starch, biomass, sugarcane bagasse, and food waste. Unlike fossil fuel-based plastics, they are bio-degradable entirely or partially. Therefore, bioplastics are relatively less harmful to the environment. Cellulose and starch-based bioplastics are already used for applications like packaging, cutlery, bowls, straws. However, their cost and performance cannot match the conventional plastics. The present study was aimed to produce bioplastic from food waste material. As a result, orange peel is chosen because of its high cellulose content and good availability. The bio-plastic film from orange peel was produced using simple laboratory techniques. Its identification for potential applications is the new area of work. The developed film blends with glycerol as a plasticizer have indicated consistent and promising results. This has excellent strength, flexibility, and disintegration in soiling conditions, morphologically having a rough surface, and confirms the film's bio-degradability nature. Characterization methods such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), powderX-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis confirmed that the developed material's physicochemical and surface morphology belonged to bio-based plastic. A simple, novel, and economic process are described in the manufacturing of bio-based plastic.

Ever since bioplastics were introduced to a wide range of industries globally, disposal of the used bioplastics has become an inseparable issue with their application. Unlike petroleum-based plastics, bioplastics can be completely decomposed into water and carbon dioxide by microorganisms in a relatively short time, which is an advantage. However, there is little information on the specific degraders and accelerating factors for biodegradation. To elucidate a new strain for biodegradation of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), we screened out one PHB-degrading bacterium, Microbulbifer sp. SOL03, which is the first reported strain from the Microbulbifer genus to show PHB degradation activity, although Microbulbifer species are known to be complex carbohydrate degraders found in high-salt environments. In this study, we evaluated its biodegradability using solid- and liquid-based methods in addition to examining the changes in physical properties throughout the biodegradation process. Furthermore, we established the optimal conditions for biodegradation with respect to temperature, salt concentration, and additional carbon and nitrogen sources; accordingly, a temperature of 37°C with the addition of 3% NaCl without additional carbon sources, was determined to be optimal. In summary, we found that Microbulbifer sp. SOL03 showed a PHB degradation yield of almost 97% after 10 days. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the potent bioplastic degradation activity of Microbulbifer sp., and we believe that it can contribute to the development of bioplastics from application to disposal.

Three different types of starch based bioplastic blends were synthesized. The FTIR spectra, XRD spectra and biodegradability test were used to characterize them. The FTIR spectra have shown the bands attributed to the stretching vibrations of hydroxyl groups (O-H) and carbonyl groups -CH, -CH2, C=O, C=C, C-O-C etc. The FTIR spectra confirmed the plastic nature of the samples by tracing the different functional groups of regular plastics. The XRD spectra have depicted the short range periodicity of the samples. Two samples have exhibited feeble diffraction peaks at 15.5°, 18.2°, 21.5° and 23.2°. The decomposition test found that these samples have appreciable percentage of volume degradability in the soil.

The extensive use of petro-based plastics, lack of suitable waste management and casual behaviour of communities to their proper disposal has posed a significant threat to the environment. Currently, single-use petro-based plastics are being banned all over the world due to their inherent non-degradability and problems with disposal. Worldwide, these bans have proved an impetus for increasing research on bio-based polymers as a substitute for conventional plastics. Use of greener or biodegradable polymeric materials would have immense socio-economic and ecological significance. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are eco-friendly alternatives to petrochemical plastics and are quickly biodegraded in aerobic or anaerobic environments such as a landfill, waste treatment facilities or oceans. PHAs have material and mechanical properties ranging from stiff and brittle crystalline to elastomeric and moulding, similar to petrochemical thermoplastics. In addition, they are hydrophobic, isotactic, biocompatible and have piezoelectric properties. PHAs in being environmentally friendly are seen as ideal candidates for replacing conventional petro-based plastics in numerous fields. This review focuses on the biochemistry along with in-vitro reaction mechanism of PHA synthases. In addition to the applications and modes of production of PHAs already mentioned a few factors governing PHA synthesis will be discussed. Scope for improving PHA synthesis is also mentioned and some of the tools for enhancing the properties of PHAs are discussed.

Bioplastic made of microalgae is attractive since it does not consume high amounts of substrate compared to bacteria. However, to make the production more feasible, growth needs to be done in wastewater to replace the commercial medium. This research was done to study the ability of microalgae growing on palm oil mill effluent (POME) to produce a bioplastic, polyhydroxybutirate (PHB). The experiment was conducted in a three step approach: (i) screening the microalgae strain, (ii) investigating a different kind of organic carbon source, and (iii) investigating the interactive effect of Fe-EDTA, POME fractions, and organic carbon concentrations. Results showed that Botryococcus braunii produced the highest PHB content compared to Arthrospira platensis and Haematococcus pluvialis. Glucose and glycerol stimulated the PHB productivity up to 20 mg L−1 day−1. The interaction of glycerol-POME and glycerol Fe-EDTA influenced the growth. For PHB accumulation, no interaction between factors was found. The optimal condition to obtain 33% PHB was found on 50% POME supplemented with high glycerol and high Fe-EDTA concentration.

Non-biodegradable plastics are continually amassing landfills and oceans worldwide while creating severe environmental issues and hazards to animal and human health. Plastic pollution has resulted in the death of millions of seabirds and aquatic animals. The worldwide production of plastics in 2020 has increased by 36% since 2010. This has generated significant interest in bioplastics to supplement global plastic demands. Bioplastics have several advantages over conventional plastics in terms of biodegradability, low carbon footprint, energy efficiency, versatility, unique mechanical and thermal characteristics, and societal acceptance. Bioplastics have huge potential to replace petroleum-based plastics in a wide range of industries from automobiles to biomedical applications. Here we review bioplastic polymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoate, polylactic acid, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, polyamide 11, and polyhydroxyurethanes; and cellulose-based, starch-based, protein-based and lipid-based biopolymers. We discuss economic benefits, market scenarios, chemistry and applications of bioplastic polymers.

Although the biodegradability of compostable bioplastic bags (CBBs) is well ascertained, concerns arise about the possibility of treating a massive quantity of compostable materials in composting facilities of all sizes and configurations. These concerns are even greater in small-scale composting where the biodegrading conditions may be milder that those in industrial composting. In this work, 7–15 lightweight CBBs were disposed of, together with organic food waste, in an electromechanical composter (EMC), every day for about 2 months. For the bulking agent, fragments and twigs of golden wattle wood were used instead of the recommended wood pellets. The composting process was carried out for 3 months in the EMC, and for further 4 months in a heap, in order to complete the maturation. During the process, critical issues in general, and any due to the presence of the CBBs, were reported: high temperatures, up to 72 °C, were constantly reached both in the ECM and in the heap, while critical anaerobic pockets were not detected. After 7 months, when the temperature and pH of the heap were equal to the ambient temperature and to 7.4, respectively, and were constant over time, the process was stopped and the compost produced underwent chemical, physical and biological analysis, in order to evaluate its quality. The CBBs did not produce any visual contamination of the final compost with bioplastic residues. Finally, all the stability, environmental and agronomic parameters were in compliance with the reference values established by law. This work shows how lightweight CBBs are perfectly managed by the EMC, at least with a CBB/organic waste mass ratio that is consistent with a normal use of CBBs as the collector of organic waste.

Petroleum-based plastics have had a long history with varied materials and applications. However, the major drawback with these plastics is their harmful impact on the environment. Poor disposal management of these plastics have ultimately affected humans. Therefore, starch-based bioplastics have been widely used because of their renewability, sustainability and cost-effectiveness. This work investigated the effect of different concentrations of corn starch (10%, 15%, and 20% w/w of distilled water) and glycerol (20%, 30%, and 40% w/v of corn starch) on the properties of corn-based bioplastic films. Particularly, mechanical (tensile strength, Young’s modulus and elongation at break) and physical (water absorption rate and moisture content) properties were investigated. These films were prepared by the solvent casting method. It was demonstrated that the addition of 30% glycerol produced mechanical properties closest to the standard value, while films with a composition of 15% of corn starch had the most optimised value. Meanwhile, 20% glycerol and 20% corn starch produced a film with high strength and stiffness but lacked flexibility. Higher concentrations of starch and glycerol produced the highest moisture and water absorption rate. This was due to the highly hydrophilic nature of both corn starch and glycerol. However, the concentration of glycerol needs to be adjusted based on the intended use of the film. In conclusion, the concentration of corn starch and glycerol produced slightly different outcomes. Thus, the properties and application of the cornbased bioplastic films can be maximised by optimising the concentration of corn starch and glycerol.

Plastics play important roles in modern life and currently the development of plastic recycling is highly demanding and challenging. To relieve this dilemma, one option is to develop new sustainable bioplastics that are compatible with the environment over the whole material life cycle. We report a sustainable bioplastic made from natural DNA and biomass-derived ionomers, termed as DNA plastics. The sustainability involves all aspects of the production, use, and end-of-life options of DNA plastics: (1) the raw materials are derived from biorenewable resources; (2) the water-processable strategy is environmentally friendly, not involving high-energy consumption, the use of organic solvents, and the production of byproducts; (3) recyclable and nondestructive use is achieved to significantly prolong the service lifetime of the plastics; and (4) the disposal of waste plastics follows two green routes including the recycling of waste plastics and enzyme-triggered controllable degradation under mild conditions. Besides, DNA plastics can be "aqua-welded" to form arbitrary designed products such as a plastic cup. This work provides a solution to transform biobased hydrogel to bioplastic and demonstrates the closed-loop recycling of DNA plastics, which will advance the development of sustainable materials.

Potato starch-based films obtained by the tape-casting process for producing biodegradable food packages were studied. The stability of starch-in-water suspensions was preliminary investigated via the Turbiscan technique, as a function of the amount of starch, and the mixing regime adopted to suspend the system. The most stable samples, prepared with the addition of different fractions of plasticizer (glycerol), were investigated with transient viscosity tests upon cooling to mimic the real conditions of cooling ramp and shear rate occurring during the tape casting process. Thanks to these investigations, a few samples were selected for producing films at a constant fraction of starch while varying the amount of glycerol. The thermal behavior, microstructural investigation, FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy carried out on bioplastic films confirmed the plasticizing action of glycerol. On a smaller scale, atomic force microscopy highlighted a quite uniform and homogeneous surface of samples increased by the glycerol content.

Plastics, a non-renewable and non-degradable material have become one of the reasons for health crisis. Negative impact of plastic use on wild life and human health looks for an alternate that meets the requirement of human needs and also reduce the nuisance caused to the nature. Plastics that are bio based and degradable and similar to the properties of synthetic plastic is the solution to the problem and are termed as bio-plastics. In the present work, an attempt was made to isolate polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB) producing microorganisms from two different samples, garage soil sample and root nodules of Trigonella foenum-graecum leaves. The study also focused on the optimizing cultural conditions for the two isolated and identified PHB producing microorganisms, Bacillus subtillis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by changing the parameters, viz., incubation time, pH, carbon source and nitrogen source. Maximum PHB was obtained when the media was supplemented with Glucose as Carbon source for both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis, Ammonium nitrate as Nitrogen source for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Urea for Bacillus subtilis. The optimum pH was found to be pH 7 for both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis and the optimum temperature was found to be 37˚C for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 30˚C for Bacillus subtilis. The study also showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa yields more PHB than Bacillus subtilis in comparison.

The efforts to find a better way to replace synthetic materials with a variety of natural materials has been increasing. Through the big demand of petroleum-based plastics some scientists are attempting to make safer plastics and develop more sustainable bioplastics. The use of renewable resources to produce biopolymers has an advantage due to the availability which also contributes to the biopolymers sustainability. In this report we present the results of multiple formulations characterization, to obtain films of starch biocomposite reinforced with natural fibers by casting method. Five biocomposite film formulations were designed with variations in the composition of the natural fiber, by duplicate. The thermal, structural, and morphological properties of the biocomposites were evaluated by FTIR, SEM and TGA techniques. The results show great advantages about the processing method. In addition, this opens a very interesting line of research to support the development of eco-plastic bags.

The main goal of this study was to improve the results of therapy in patients with chronic wounds on the foot in diabetics (I-II degree according to Wagner's classification) using histoequivalent bioplastic material «G-derm».Materials and methods. The study included 72 patients. The comparison group included 35 patients who underwent standard treatment with hydrocolloid dressings. The main group consisted of 37 patients. For them, in addition to standard treatment, the histoequivalent-bioplastic material «G-derm» was used. The patients' condition was assessed in dynamics on the 1st, 10th, 30th days from the start of treatment.Results. By the 30th day, the complete epithelialization was registered in 12 (16.7%) patients. The main group included 8 (21.6%) cases, and the control group – 4 (11.4%). The unsatisfactory epithelialization (healing less than a quarter of the initial area) by the 30th day of treatment was in 14 (19.4%) patients: in the main group – in 4 (10.9%) patients, in the comparison group – in 10 (28.5%) of patients. The remaining 25 (67.6%) patients in the main group and 21 (60%) participants in the comparison group had satisfactory epithelialization results by the 30th day of treatment.Conclusion. The results of this study show the effectiveness of using histoequivalent bioplastic material G-derm in local treatment of chronic wounds in patients with neuropathic diabetes in combination with standard therapies.The use of histoequivalent-bioplastic material in patients with diabetes leads to faster regeneration of the wound as well as increases the cases of complete epithelialization.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a sustainable bioplastic produced by bacteria that is a potential replacement for conventional plastics. This study delivers an integrated experimental and computational modeling approach to decipher metabolic factors controlling PHB production and offers engineering design strategies to boost production. In the metabolically robust Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009, PHB production significantly increased when grown on the carbon- and electron-rich lignin breakdown product p-coumarate (C9H8O3) compared to virtually no PHB titer from acetate (C2H3NaO2). The maximum yield did not improve further when grown on coniferyl alcohol (C10H12O3), but comparison of the PHB profiles showed that coniferyl alcohol's higher carbon content resulted in a higher rate of PHB production. Combined experimental results revealed that cytoplasmic space may be a limiting factor for maximum PHB titer. In order to obtain a systems-level understanding of factors driving PHB yield, a model-driven investigation was performed. The model yielded several engineering design strategies including utilizing reduced, high molecular weight substrates that bypass the thiolase reaction (phaA). Based on these strategies, utilization of butyrate was predicted and subsequently validated to produce PHB. Model analysis also explained why nitrogen starvation was not essential for PHB production and revealed that renewable and abundant lignin aromatics are ideal candidates for PHB production. Most importantly, the generality of the derived design rules allows them to be applied to any PHB-producing microbe with similar metabolic features.

Plastic waste is the third-largest waste source in the world, so it raises the world’s human health and environmental concerns. Replacing conventional petroleum plastic with bioplastic is an alternative way to minimise plastic wastes from human life and bioplastic is more environmentally friendly. Therefore, this research study aims to synthesise bioplastic from corn starch via gelatinization and study its characteristics. Different from other studies, in this study, new formulations of bioplastics with different ratios of corn starch to glycerol samples that are 1:0.5, 1:1, 2:1, and 2:2, namely Sets A, B, C, and D, respectively, were studied and compared. From the Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy analysis, the results show that all produced corn starch-based bioplastic samples had the four major plastic’s functional groups which indicated that they were categorized as polyester. Meanwhile, via thermal property analysis, all bioplastic samples could be thermally decomposed from 34 °C to 504 °C where their weight was reduced from 5 mg to 1 mg. Among the four bioplastic samples (Sets A to D) with different ratios of corn starch to glycerol, it was found that a ratio of corn starch and glycerol that was 1:0.5 (Set A) had more biodegradable characteristics and it had the lowest water holding capacity. From the results, Set A could only hold around 4.27 % of the water that could avoid interaction of water with the contents that were wrapped with. Besides, from the results, Set A could degrade better in soils, and dissolve more in ethanol, acetone, and oils when compared to other samples. Since the bioplastic can degrade naturally by the ethanol produced from bacteria in the soils under anaerobic reactions, thus Set A has the potential application to be used as a fertiliser coating to minimise the fertiliser release rate in regions under heavy rainfall.

Bioplastics made from sago flour have the potential to be developed into plastic-based industrial materials that are environmentally friendly and easily degraded by microorganisms. A. flavus DSFP.J1 and A. niger DFSP.J4 are microorganisms from a type of fungus that are proven to be able to degrade sago bioplastics, but have not yet obtained optimal degradation power. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain optimal conditions of the two isolates of fungi in degrading bioplastics made from sago flour at variable inoculum concentrations of 10, 20, 30,40, 50% v/w. The manufacture of sago bioplastics is done by adding acetic acid as a catalyst and added glycerol to form plastic properties in 15% sago flour, after being formed and cut to a size of 1 cm2. Observations to determine the degradation power were carried out after an incubation period of seven days to the next five weeks. The results obtained showed that the optimal conditions of A. flavus DFSP.J1 and in degrading sago bioplastics at 40% inoculum concentration with a degradation power of 56.52% in the fifth week of observation and tended to increase the degradation power on the following day, as well as A. niger DFSP.J4 optimally degrades at 30% inoculum concentration with a degradation power of 55.90% in the fifth week of observation. The results of the research, it can be concluded. Both the fungus A. flavus DFSP. J1 and A. niger DFSP.J4 showed that potentialy to be developed for further research to increase its degradation power higher and faster.

International audience; Agri-food waste and by-products are being increasingly revalued, exploiting their potential. One of the attractive alternatives is their use as raw materials for the production of bioplastics due to their high protein content, generating eco-friendly bioplastics, since they come from renewable sources and are biodegradable. However, their industrial scalability is being difficult mainly due to their manufacturing process, which is generally expensive. Therefore, the objective of this work was to revalue a by-product from the industrial production of soybean oil as a raw material to process bioplastics by extrusion moulding (a process widely used in the manufacture of plastics). In this way, the use of this raw material could reduce costs and facilitate the scalability of these products. The results obtained in this work show that this by-product is a suitable raw material for the development of bioplastics. Furthermore, extrusion allowed obtaining bioplastics with different mechanical characteristics and water uptake capacity by modifying the temperature and screw speed of the process. Thus, higher temperatures generated better mechanical resistance, while lower temperatures improved the water uptake capacity. These results demonstrate the great capacity of this raw material and processing technique for the large-scale adaptation of bioplastics that can be used in different applications, such as packaging and hygiene products.

The effect of mold conditions was investigated in terms of mold temperature (30oC and 90oC) and cooling time (30 s and 60 s) on the heat resistance of injection-molded bars for stereocomplex polylactide-b-polyethylene glycol-b-polylactide (scPLA-PEG-PLA). Comparative study was performed for poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and PLLA-b-PEG-b-PLLA (PLLA-PEG-PLLA). scPLA-PEG-PLA was 90/10 (w/w) PLLA-PEG-PLLA/poly(D-lactide) blend. scPLA-PEG-PLA exhibited the easiest crystallization upon cooling scan as shown by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Higher mold-temperature and longer cooling-time induced higher degree of crystallinity as assessed by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) except for PLLA bars. The heat resistance of both PLLA-PEG-PLLA and scPLA-PEG-PLA bars was improved with increased mold-temperature and cooling-time as shown by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), vicat softening temperature (VST) and heat distortion-resistance tests except for PLLA bars. In conclusion, the heat resistance of injection-molded bars prepared at 90˚C mold temperature was in the order scPLA-PEG-PLA ] PLLA-PEG-PLLA ] PLLA. The results suggested that flexible PLLA-PEG-PLLA and scPLA-PEG-PLA with high degrees of crystallinity were successfully obtained by injection molding for use as good heat-resistant bioplastic products.

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of high concentrations (10 % w/w, data projected for 2030) of commercial bioplastics, i.e. starch based shopping bags (SBSB) and polylactic acid (PLA) tableware, in the organic fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW) on compost quality obtained by pilot-scale dry mesophilic anaerobic digestion and subsequent composting of the digestate. After the biological processes, 48.1 % total solids (TS) of SBSB and 15 % TS of PLA degraded, resulting in a high bioplastics content (about 18 % TS) in compost. Subsequent compost incubation in soils indicated that bioplastics degraded by pseudo-zero order kinetics (0.014 and 0.010 mg C cm−2 d-1 for SBSB and PLA, respectively), i.e. complete degradation was expected in 1.6 years (SBSB) and 7.2 years (PLA), confirming the intrinsic biodegradability of bioplastics. Nevertheless, enhancing the rate and amount of bioplastics degradation during waste management represents a goal to decrease the amount of bioplastics reaching the environment.

Background The COVID-19 crisis generated changes in consumer behavior related to food purchase and the management of food packaging. Due to the intensification of online purchases for home delivery, there has been an increase in the use of food packaging (mostly non-biodegradable or non-renewable). Moreover, the fear of contamination with SARS-CoV-2 through contact with materials and surfaces has led to an intensified disposal of food packaging, promoting a setback in waste management. Scope and approach The purpose of this short commentary is to address the impacts of increased use and disposal of food packaging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technological solutions have been presented as tools to minimize the environmental impacts of the increased volume of disposed food packaging (namely, the development of biodegradable food packaging) as well as to minimize the occurrence of cross-contamination (namely, the incorporation of active antiviral components). Key findings and conclusions The consumer behavior in the COVID-19 pandemic requires actions concerning adoption of bioplastics for single-use food packaging. Polylactide (PLA) stands out for high production viability, performance comparable to those of petroleum-based thermoplastics, and carbon neutral life cycle. Moreover, active components including organic compounds (resveratrol, luteolin, myricetin etc.) and metals (e.g., copper, zinc, silver) can mitigate cross-contamination. Therefore, there are opportunities to reduce food packaging-related environmental footprints while also decreasing the occurrence of surface-mediated cross-contamination.

The present study focuses on testing the potential of starch from two different sources: corn and rice, to produce bioplastics, and the impact of natural agricultural waste materials (eggshells and rice hulls) as fillers. Bioplastic samples with different starches, plasticizers and amounts of fillers, in varying combinations, were prepared to determine the feasibility of the produced bioplastics. The physico-chemical properties of the bioplastics, such as moisture content, water absorption, water and alcohol solubility, biodegradability, tensile strength and Young’s modulus, were investigated. FT-IR analysis was also performed. The RTV silicone coating of the samples was tested to induce hydrophobic properties to water-soluble bioplastics. This study demonstrated that the utilization of starches from different sources, various types of plasticizers, as well as filler types and amounts, can have a significant impact on the physico-chemical properties of the bioplastics. Moreover, the bioplastics produced are safe for the environment and biodegradable, so starch-based bioplastics can be a promising environmentally friendly alternative to harmful petroleum-based plastics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many positive shifts have been observed in the ecosystem, with a significant decrease in the greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. On the other hand, there were unavoidable negative shifts due to a surge in demand for plastic products such as food and groceries’ delivery packaging, single-use plastics, medical and personal protective equipment to prevent transmission of COVID-19. Plastic pollution can be considered as a key environmental issue in world due to the huge footprints of plastics on natural ecosystems and public health. Herein, we presented an overview on the rise of plastic pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic. The potential sources of plastic waste during COVID-19 with its negative effects on the environment such as marine ecosystems and the global economics are highlighted. We also suggested some strategies and recommendations to tackle plastic leakages by applying feedstock recycling, sterilization, and with the use of biodegradable plastics that have become a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel plastics. Also, the importance of elevating public awareness and some recommendations to mitigate plastic generated during the pandemic has been addressed as well.

Many industries are coming under increasing pressure to replace their petrochemical plastics in products and packaging with biopolymers. Retailers have a key role here because they determine the pr...

Bioplastics are used as potent eco-friendly alternatives to minimise the adverse environmental impacts induced by petroleum-based plastics. Bioplastics, especially biodegradable plastics are materi...

Production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) increased by 40% per month, resulting in global plastic waste during the pandemic and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Degradable plastic is a solution left over from PPE. This research uses environmentally friendly and non-toxic materials, namely PLA, chitosan, ZnO, and palm wax. There are two stages of research, (1) determining the best concentration of palm oil wax (1; 2.5; 5%) according to SNI, and (2) determining the concentration of chitosan (0.5%; 0.75%; 1%; 1, 25%; 1.5%) using the RAL method. Bioplastics were tested for morphology, structure, antibacterial, water vapor permeability, and biodegradability. The results of the morphological test showed cracks and crevices of chitosan in several places. The FTIR test confirmed that the addition of chitosan did not change the chemical components of the bioplastic. Chitosan concentration of 0.5% was the best in inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. The addition of chitosan made the tensile strength value increase but decreased elongation at rest, the WVP test had no significant effect, while the biodegradability test at the smallest concentration of chitosan could increase the biodegradability.

BACKGROUND Different thermoplastic starch (TPS) films were prepared with or without the addition of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) obtained via the melt-extrusion method, and then the hot-press method was used to produce environmentally friendly TPS-based film/paper composites to replace petroleum-based materials. RESULTS The paper-plastic composites exhibited good interfacial adhesion from the scannign elctron microscopy images. It was seen that 5 wt.% MCC was added to reinforce the mechanical properties of TPS films, such that it also improved the barrier properties of MCC@TPS/paper composites and extended the path of water vapor through TPS films, which decreased the water vapor transmission rate of MCC@TPS/paper composites. TPS/paper composites and MCC@TPS/paper composites have better physical properties (i.e. smoothness, flexibility and folding resistance) than only paper. In particular, it was found that the water contact angle of MCC@TPS/paper composites and TPS/paper composites were higher than single-layer paper. Furthermore, MCC reinforced paper-plastic composites demonstrated good barrier properties which can meet the requirement of the need for lower water sensitive materials in the food packaging industry. CONCLUSION Thermoplastic corn starch-based film/paper composites have good application properties as a potential source of bioplastic materials. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Plastics have overwhelmingly been employed in every sector of human life, ranging from the cosmetics and food industry to transportation and electronics. It resulted in emerging plastic pollution worldwide, which poses serious threats to the natural ecosystem and human health. This mini-review highlights human exposure to micro(nano)plastics in the environment and evaluates bioplastics as a health/environment safer option.

The impact and fate of plastic polymers in the environment is the subject of global concern, therefore leading to an search for viable alternatives. The novelty of the market has attracted the development of many products identified as bioplastics, often associated with terms such as biodegradable, compostable, or oxo-degradable. The degradation rate of a given product is closely dependent on the processing conditions including the decomposition media. The process is believed to be induced by environmental abiotic factors, that fragment the polymer followed by further biotic degradation by microorganisms. The interdependence of these mechanisms can be correlated to the modifications that occur during the process in the polymer matrix. Laboratory accelerated-weathering methods provide unique opportunities to evaluate the physico-chemical changes in plastics when exposed to different environmental stimuli. Understanding the fate of bioplastics in the environment is critical, and yet unknown, as their breakdown products may impact on biota, microbial communities, and more broadly on global biogeochemical cycles. In this project we are focused on the degradation profile of unaged and artificially aged polymers. A combination of UV irradiation and thermal exposure is used to obtain reproducible data consistent with natural weathering of plastic. FT-IR allows the quantification of carbonyl species induced by these processes due to varied chemical reactions. Another aspect of the project involves the in-vitro evaluation of the biodegradability of different plastic samples in a simulated aqueous media. Preliminary results demonstrate that the combination of photo- and thermal-degradation is an efficient method for artificial weathering and is promising to help predicting what would happen in the environment. The appearance of carbonyl species formed due to the chemical degradation of polymers provides evidence of further biodegradability by microorganisms. Different species of bacteria show distinct strategies of biodegradation according to the polymer type contained in the media. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/415425/document, In MICRO 2022, Online Atlas Edition: Plastic Pollution from MACRO to nano

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), with a long chain length and high poly(4–hydroxybutyric acid) (P4HB) ratio, can be used as a base polymer for eco-friendly and biodegradable adhesives owing to its high elasticity, elongation at break, flexibility, and processability; however, its molecular structures must be adjusted for adhesive applications. In this study, surface-modified cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were used as a hydrophobic additive for the PHA-based adhesive. For the surface modification of CNFs, double silanization using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) was performed, and the thermal and structural properties were evaluated. The hydrophobicity of the TEOS- and MTMS-treated CNFs (TMCNFs) was confirmed by FT-IR and water contact angle analysis, with hydrophobic CNFs well dispersed in the PHA. The PHA–CNFs composite was prepared with TMCNFs, and its morphological analysis verified the good dispersion of TMCNFs in the PHA. The tensile strength of the composite was enhanced when 10% TMCNFs were added; however, the viscosity decreased as the TMCNFs acted as a thixotropic agent. Adding TMCNFs to PHA enhanced the flowability and infiltration ability of the PHA–TMCNFs-based adhesive, and an increase in the loss tangent (Tan δ) and adjustment of viscosity without reducing the adhesive strength was also observed. These changes in properties can improve the flowability and dispersibility of the PHA–TMCNFs adhesive on a rough adhesive surface at low stress. Thus, it is expected that double-silanized CNFs effectively improve their interfacial adhesion in PHA and the adhesive properties of the PHA–CNFs composites, which can be utilized for more suitable adhesive applications.

The gamma irradiation was on to Poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT), Poly(butylene adipate- co-terephthalate) (PBAT), Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and casting polypropylene (CPP) at dose levels from 0 to 50 kGy. The properties of gamma irradiated samples were analyzed using DSC, TGA, UTM and FT-IR spectra. The mechanical and thermal properties of PBSeT and PBAT after gamma irradiation were less affected than CPP. The tensile strength and elongation of PBSeT was not affected by gamma irradiation, while these of PBAT, PLA and CPP were significantly decreased at 50 kGy gamma-ray dose. The thermal stability of PBSeT, PBAT, PLA and CPP showed a similar tendency to tensile strength. The glass transition temperature(Tg) and melting temperature(Tm) of PBSeT and PBAT were not altered by increasing gamma-ray dose, while these of PLA and CPP decreased. The chemical composition of all samples was not modified by gamma irradiation, and it was confirmed by FT-IR spectra. Based on mechanical and thermal stability studies of gamma irradiation on bioplastics, tested biodegradable packaging materials showed a potential to be used in sterilization process up to 35 kGy.

Bioplastics are a type of plastic which are natural and renewable. These are made from raw materials such as sugarcane, corn starch, wood, wastepaper, fats, bacteria, algae. Bioplastics are eco-friendly as they can decompose back into carbon dioxide. Reduction of greenhouse gases through reduced carbon footprint occurs by the usage of renewable resources. In contrast to petrochemical plastics, bioplastics production is around 80% which is less than carbon dioxide. Bioplastics have been used as attractive materials for biomedical applications due to their physicochemical, biological, and degradation properties. Due to the widespread use of bioplastics, they are essential materials. Biowaste products should be designed correctly for the benefit of the environment and the utilization of these products. In composting and an anaerobic digestion infrastructure, a part of biorefineries, technology is beneficial. Enhanced production of plastics across the globe has been added more waste pollution. Recycling plastic waste is one solution to the increased plastic pollution, but it alone is not the only one. Decreased usage of fossil-based plastics is vital in the aspect of sustainability. This study aims to review the recent advances of bioplastics and their possible implications for controlling and managing plastic pollution.

The green biorefinery approach is an alternative to the chemical method of production of enzyme-rich hydrolysate from waste biomass. Specifically, feather and coconut oil cake (COC) hydrolysate manifests the generation of bioproducts like dietary fibers, biofertilizers, bioplastics, esters, nanoparticles, etc. We scaled up the production of haloextremozyme-rich hydrolysates using Haloferax lucentensis GUBF-2 MG076878 in an economical bioreactor for valuation as biofertilizer for rice growth and biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), showing antimicrobial activity. The strain solubilizes 10% feather and COC with 78.75 ± 0.717% and 88.35 ± 0.654% degradation after 20 days, respectively. Moreover, tangential filtration aided co-concentration of both protease and lipase from feather/COC hydrolysate to >70% yield. SEM of feather/COC hydrolysate depicted particle size ranging 100-10000 nm. FTIR evidenced the functional groups of >C=O, -CH, -NH, -CH3, OH, and COO−. Priming seeds of rice with feather hydrolysate resulted in 100% germination energy and higher vigor index (1214), alongside increased shoot length (43.2 ± 0.58) under saline conditions. Biosynthesized AgNPs showed absorption maxima at 440 nm and vibrations of -CH, -OH, -NH, >C=C, and >C=O functionality in FTIR. AFM depicted the semi-oval morphology of AgNPs with a maximum height of 22 nm. Also, the presence of silver was confirmed by SEM-EDAX. AgNPs exhibited antimicrobial activity against human pathogens as; C. albicans>S. aureus>S. pyogenes>E. coli ATCC 8439>P.vulgaris, and S.typhi. Conclusively, the production of haloextremozyme-rich feather and COC hydrolysate via the biorefinery approach employing Haloferax lucentensis GUBF-2; is lucrative, considering waste valorization and biosynthesis of bioproducts in biotechnological applications.

Microbial poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) has been used as bioplastic, while the biopolymer of glucose (glycogen) can be used as efficient substrate for the generation of biofuels. Substantial production of PHB and glycogen by heterotrophic microbes has been constrained by the limited resources of organic substrates. Hence, the heterotrophic cultivation that efficiently converts an organic substrate to the two biopolymers is desirable. However, limited research has been conducted to examine the conversion efficiency of an organic substrate to biopolymers by photoheterotrophic microbes. In this study, the single-stage cultivation of a photoheterotrophic cyanobacterium (Chroococcus hansgirgi TISTR 8561) which accumulates PHB and glycogen was optimized and evaluated for the mass conversion efficiency (CE) of an organic substrate to the two biopolymers. The cells were cultured in BG11 trace element medium with addition of only a single specific organic substrate under light to enable both cellular oxygenic photosynthesis and heterotrophic metabolism, which were evidenced by the oxygen gas evolution and the organic substrate utilization of the cells, respectively. Through optimization of the culture conditions, organic substrate supply, and cultivation time, the mass CE of glucose to both PHB and glycogen of 51 ± 15% (w/w) was obtained, while the mass CE of acetate to these two biopolymers was 71 ± 16% (w/w). These optimized cultures exhibited CE of glucose or acetate to both PHB and glycogen at the higher levels than those of previous reports in photoheterotrophic microbes. This single-stage photoheterotrophic cultivation may be applied for production of biopolymers by other photoheterotrophic microbes.

This study aims to determine the capability of seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii) as a bioplastic material on varying concentrations of glycerine (10, 20, and 30mL) in terms of (1) tensile strength, and (2) biodegradability. In making the bioplastic, the researchers dried and extracted several seaweeds, used glycerine as the plasticizer, water as the solvent, corn-starch as the thickener, and vinegar to help the starch dissolve easily. After mixing all the ingredients on a hot pan, we placed them on a flat surface lined with foil as soon as possible before the product starts to solidify. It took 3-4 days to harden, depending on how thick the product is. The results in testing the tensile strength revealed that the less amount of glycerine allowed the harder bioplastic produced. The biodegradability test showed that glycerine components caused the plastics to differ in size, shape, moisture, texture, and how fast they degrade, as well as the tensile strength. However, in testing biodegradability, there is no significant difference in the level of glycerine concentration. This study presents how the seaweed bioplastic was created, what it contributes to the community, and how the ecosystem benefits from it, such as reducing the usage of synthetic plastic.

Polymers are essential materials in our daily life. The synthesis of value-added polymers is mainly performed from fossil fuel-derived monomers. However, the adoption of the circular economy model based on the bioeconomy will reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. In this context, biorefineries have emerged to convert biomass into bioenergy and produce high value-added products, including molecules that can be further used as building blocks for the synthesis of biopolymers and bioplastics. The achievement of catalytic systems able to polymerize the natural monomer counterparts, such as terpenes or terpenoids, is still a challenge in the development of polymers with good mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. This review describes the most common types of bioplastics and biopolymers and focuses specifically on the polymerization of terpenes and terpenoids, which represent a source of promising monomers to create bio-based polymers and copolymers.

Synthetic plastics generate major problems in landfills after their consumption for occupying high volumes and difficult the decomposition of other organic materials. In addition, they are also responsible for impacts on the marine ecosystem. Because of this, the need for cleaner products and process is increasing. Among a variety of existing bioplastics, those derived from cleaner fermentation processes such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and polylactic acid (PLA) are promising sustainable alternatives to replace synthetic plastic. This narrative review provides an overview of the real potential of PHA and PLA for cleaner production. For that purpose, the discussion considers an extensive literature that points out the environmental benefits about bioplastics and also the factors that limit their real sustainability. Through an analysis of future perspectives, a general contribution was offered by means of recommendations for a cleaner production of these bioplastics with the aim of promoting sustainable development. This set of factors can overcome the existing limitations, benefiting the environment, consumers and the market.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is derived from renewable sources and is among the most commercially available bioplastics. However, the application of PLA is limited due to its properties, such as poor thermal stability and ductility. The incorporation of woven polyester in the polymeric system has enhanced the properties of PLA. This research determines the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of woven polyester fiber-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites. The composites were fabricated using a hot compression method with different fiber contents (%). The fiber contents used are 0 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 %. The WP40 composites yielded the highest tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break, which were recorded at 132.28 MPa, 976 MPa, and 17.86 MPa, respectively. The highest flexural strength for WP/PLA composites was recorded for the WP20 sample at 56 MPa. Moreover, the impact test revealed that WP30 displayed the highest strength at 61 kJ/m2. The SEM micrograph showed good adhesion between the WP-PLA composites since there was less fiber pull-out. The addition of woven polyester has improved the thermal stability and degradation behavior of the composites. All results indicate that the composites have the potential to be used in the automotive component industry. Statistical analysis has been accomplished using one-way ANOVA, displaying significant differences between the results.

Natural fiber centered polymer composites are getting the interest of many researchers because of its unique assets like low density, low cost, eco-friendly and recyclability. Development and emerging technologies have increased burden on the environmentalists, therefore many researchers are working on bringing such technologies for society which are eco-friendly and biodegradable. Extensive research work has been done on reinforcing various natural fibers in bioplastics and plastics in fabricating composites for varied applications; however, some of the inferior qualities of natural fibers like low melting point, high water absorption rate and lack of adhesion make them less attractive. Composites fabricated by reinforcing untreated fibers often show less mechanical properties; therefore, to enhance these properties, the treatment to natural fibers becomes necessary for achieving good interfacial strength between fibers and polymer matrix. Pretreatment of natural fibers can vary its physical and chemical properties by roughening the surface and increasing its hydrophobic nature. Through this review paper an emphasis on the treatment using some natural fibers like sisal, banana, jute, nettle, coir fiber and its effect on the mechanical strength of fabricated biocomposites has been presented. The Effect of fiber treatment on tribological behaviour of natural fiber composite has been also discussed. Two major areas in fiber modification; physical and chemical treatment have been extensively discussed in this article.