Bioplastics

Losses of horticulture product were caused by several reasons, one of them was the un-approriate postharvest handling. One of the post-harvest method that could maintain the quality of the horticulture product is controlling the storage temperature and packaging techniques to that product. The objectives of this research were to determine the characteristics of horticultural products (tomato and bell pepper) in the cold storage that were packed with bioplastics and high density polyethylene (HDPE). The sample of packed products stored at three temperature levels (5, 10, and 15 o C) for 21 days. The results showed that the types of plastic influenced respiration rate (CO2 production rate). The tomatoes packased with bioplastic had climateric phase at the day of 21 th which was layer than the one of HDPE. However, bell pepper packsed with bioplastic started senescence phase at 9 th day which was taste than the one HDPE at 12 th day.

Biocomposites are seen as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics and an impediment to the increasing pollution crisis. Natural composites of light weight and considerable strength, biocomposites are an attractive material source for products in mass production. The biodegradability of the composites and their minimal effect on the environment provide an option for long-term sustainability. With an array of characteristics producible by biocomposites, applications are limitless. The versatility of biocomposites has therefore resulted in market growth, showing a probability for the eventual replacement of plastic-based products.

Keywords: biocomposites, mass-production, bioplastics, sustainability

The study characterized heterogeneous biocatalyst synthesized from sucrose, saw dust, and chicken egg shells using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) technique. Acidic sulphonate (–SO3H) groups were more visible in the spectrum generated for carbonized and sulphonated sucrose than in carbonized and sulphonated saw dust. This was highlighted further by the significantly higher conversion percentage achieved for sulphonated sucrose (62.5%) than sulphonated saw dust (46.6%) during esterification of expired sunflower oil (p=0.05). The spectra for calcinated egg shells also showed that the most active form of calcium oxide was produced at calcination temperature of 1000°C. This was confirmed in the single-step transesterification reaction in which calcium oxide generated at 1000°C yielded the highest biodiesel (87.8%) from expired sunflower oil. The study further demonstrated the versatility of the FTIR technique in qualitative ...

This review assesses the state-of-the-art in comparative Life Cycle Assessment of fossil-based and bio-based polymers. Published assessments are critically reviewed and compared to the European Union Product Environmental Footprint (EU PEF) standards. No published articles were found to fully meet the standards, but the critical review method was used to classify the articles by their level of compliance. 25 articles partially met the PEF standards, giving 39 fossil-based and 50 bio-based polymer case results. Ultimately, it was possible to compare seven bio-based polymers and seven fossil-based polymers across seven impact categories (energy use, ecotoxicity, acidification, eutrophication, climate change, particulate matter formation and ozone depletion). Significant variation was found between polymer types and between fossil-based and bio-based polymers, meaning it was not possible to conclusively declare any polymer type as having the least environmental impact in any category. Significant variation was also seen between different studies of the same polymer, for both fossil-based and bio-based polymers. In some cases this variation was of the order of 400%. Results suggest that a large part of this variation is related to the Life Cycle Assessment methodologies applied, particularly in the end-of-life treatment, the use of credits for absorbed Carbon Dioxide, and the allocation of multifunctional process impacts. The feedstock source and processing method assumed for bio-based polymers was also a major sources of variation. The challenges of Life Cycle Assessment, particularly in a complex, geographically diverse and young industry like bio-based polymers, are recognised. It is proposed that the PEF standards should be adopted more widely in order to homogenise the methods used and allow meaningful comparison between LCA studies on fossil-based and bio-based polymers, and between studies of the same polymers.

The increasing effect of non-degradable plastic wastes is a growing concern. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), macromoleculepolyesters naturally produced by many species of microorganisms, are being considered as a replacement for conventional plastics. Unlike petroleum-derived plastics that take several decades to degrade, PHAs can be completely bio-degraded within a year by a variety of microorganisms. This biodegradation results in carbon dioxide and water, which return to the environment. Attempts based on various methods have been undertaken for mass production of PHAs. Promising strategies involve genetic engineering of microorganisms and plants to introduce production pathways. This challenge requires the expression of several genes along with optimization of PHA synthesis in the host. Although excellent progress has been made in recombinant hosts, the barriers to obtaining high quantities of PHA at low cost still remain to be solved. The commercially viable production of PHA in crops, however, appears to be a realistic goal for the future.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a well-known biodegradable bacterial polymer. The polymer is produced by some bacteria under stressed growth conditions. In nature, poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] is the most commonly found. Nonetheless, research in PHA has resulted in the production of various copolymers with improved properties and modifications to suit a variety of different applications. Identification of new bacteria strains with the ability to produce novel PHA monomers are still on going. Various cheap and renewable carbon feedstock and growth media have been identified. The production of in PHA in industrial scale fermenters have been fine-tuned using statistical approach. The production efficiency of PHA is still being experimented in order to achieve maximum yield with minimal cost. Among the different applications of PHA, much attention was gained in medical and pharmaceutical fields. This is mainly attributed to the biocompatibility of PHA. However, studies in the application of PHA in agriculture is rather limited. This chapter will survey the efforts of PHA application in agriculture and highlight the successful usage of PHA.

Completely biobased and biodegradable thermoplastic starch (TPS) based materials with a tunable performance were prepared for food packaging applications. Five blends were prepared by blending TPS with 10 wt%. of different pine resins derivatives: gum rosin (GR), disproportionated gum rosin (RD), maleic anhydride-modified gum rosin (CM), pentaerythritol ester of gum rosin (LF), and glycerol ester of gum rosin (UG). The materials were characterized in terms of thermo-mechanical behavior, surface wettability, color performance, water absorption, X-ray diffraction pattern, and disintegration under composting conditions. It was determined that pine resin derivatives increase the hydrophobicity of TPS and also increase the elastic component of TPS which stiffen the TPS structure. The water uptake study revealed that GR and LF were able to decrease the water absorption of TPS, while the rest of the resins kept the water uptake ability. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that GR, CM, and ...

Bioplastic made by mixing cellulose pulp from elephant grass leaves, chitosan, and glycerol with variation of chitosan to cellulose pulp ratio3:10, 4:10, 5:10 (grams /grams), and 3 mL of glycerol / 2 grams of cellulose pulp, using inversion phase method. Characterization of bioplastic included analysis of functional group with FTIR, swelling test, density test, morphology analysis, melting point test, and mechanical properties test. The results of functional group analysis showed that there were no new functional groups compared to its origin material. The mechanical properties testing shown that bioplastic produced with variation of chitosan to cellulose pulp ratio 3:10, 4:10, and 5:10 had tensile strength 3.9 MPa, 7.2 MPa, and 5.0MPa; elongation at break 196.3%, 208.1%, and 329.7%; modulus of elasticity 3.5 MPa, 11.9 MPa, and 1.8 MPa respectively. Density values of those products were 1.1226 grams / cm 3 , 1.1249 grams / cm 3 , and 1.1273 grams / cm 3 while the water resistance value weresuccessively69.009 %, 27.822 %, and 14.136 %.The results shown that cellulose from elephant grass leaves could form bioplastic.

BACKGROUND: Conventional techniques used for determination of extractable poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) present in the cells, are laborious and destructive. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is an indirect analytical method to study molecular structures and has been used for the detection and quantification of PHA in intact cells. However, to obtain a fine powder with pure PHA to prepare KBr pellets is a difficult task. The objective of this study was to develop a cheap alternative for quantifying the extractable intracellular PHA, based on a pulverizable solid as a standard material (PEM: Pre Extraction Material) produced by Bacillus megaterium BBST4 strain, instead of pure PHA produced by the same strain. Through statistical analysis the correlation between sample content and its FTIR spectra were determined. The proposed methodology employs typical MID-FTIR equipment and KBr pellets for spectra determination.
RESULTS: Small root-mean-standard errors of prediction of the amount of extractable PHA were obtained using partial least square regression (PLSR1). In order to simplify the determination process, a simple linear regression analysis (SLRA) was also developed, and satisfactory correlations were found.
CONCLUSIONS: Results from PLSR1 and SLRA, calibrated with the proposed standard, indicate that it is a simple, fast and reliable alternative of fitting for determining the extractable PHA in unknown lyophilized cell samples.

Large quantities of available biomass that needs to be used are the main reason for bioplastics revival. In many cases it is an optimal solution for a particular purpose. The production of textile used for clothing, medicine, and the automotive industry being the main consumer of technical textile where textile constitutes almost 85% of the car interior follow this trend. The important reasons for application are functionality and biomass utilization. Permanent increase in bioplastic production capacity is expected. The paper presents new achievements in textiles and the related areas. KEY WORDS: bioplastics environment polymers textile KLJUČNE RIJEČI: bioplastika okoliš polimeri tekstil Bioplastika u tekstilu Sažetak Zbog velike količine raspoložive biomase koju treba iskoristiti bioplastika doživljava renesansu. U nekim je slučajevima dobro rješenje za određenu namjenu. Takav trend slijedi i proizvodnja tekstila za potrebe odijevanja, medicine i automobilske industrije, glavnoga korisnika tehničkog tekstila, gdje tekstil čini gotovo 85 % unutrašnjosti automobila. Važni razlozi primjene su funkcionalnost i iskoristivost otpadne biomase te se očekuje trajno povećanje kapaciteta za proizvodnju bioplastike. U radu su prikazana nova dostignuća u tekstilstvu i srodnim granama.

Bioplastic is an innovative and emerging industry that brings hope as well as ambiguity from materials sourcing to end life management. Circular economy (CE) which is to decouple economic growth from a carbon footprint and maximum utilization of renewable resources, that keep creating pressure on emerging bio-plastic industry to save our planet from the adverse effect of traditional plastic industry. Through the article, bioplastic circular value chain and a flow chart have been developed to understand, how circularity works in the value chain and stimulate competitiveness and necessity of practicing circularity in the bioplastic industry. This technical research article has been conducted by mini literature review, information and knowledge gain from stakeholder's publications, website, books, case study as well as direct and indirect involvement in bio-plastic industry. We observed bioplastic industry also needs to practice circularity in the value chain that will ensure more competitiveness and gain sustainability leadership index.

The immiscible bio-plastic blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and polyamide11 (PA11 or Nylon11) was compatibilized, using a catalyzed the ester-amide interchange chemical reaction during reactive extru-sion. The effects of screw configuration on mixing and reaction optimization were explored. It was found that effective mixing and minimized degradation were achieved when kneading elements were installed only near the die end of the extruder rather than near the beginning of the melt section. However, significant degradation of PLA could not be avoided during processing, which led to a decrease in mechanical strength of blend. To prevent the molecular weight reduction, tris(nonylphenyl) phosphite (TNPP) stabilizer was introduced to improve the thermal stability of PLA matrix. Improvement to both tensile strength and elongation were achieved in the resulting PLA/PA11/TsOH/TNPP blend.

Synthetic polymers are used extensively. Approx. 98 % of the 300 million tons of polymers manufactured each year for packaging, construction, appliances, and other technical goods are made from fossil sources, predominantly crude oil.
Combustion (thermal recycling) is a preferred route of disposal, at it removes waste, however, CO2 emissions arise. Biobased polymers, by contrast, are made from renewable resources. A second class of biopolymers for technical applications is biodegradable, being produced from conventional or renewable feedstock.
Common biobased plastics are drop-in materials such as biobased PE,
biobased PP, and biobased PET, and frequently used biodegradable plastics are PLA (polylactic acid), TPS (thermoplastic starch), and PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates). Also, composites can contain natural fibers such as sisal or hemp. Biobased polymer additives, e.g., plasticizers, are also in use. Renewable feedstock reduces the carbon footprint of the plastics produced. Hence, biopolymers can contribute to climate change mitigation. Biodegradable bioplastics avoid accumulation of the material in the environment, which has detrimental effects, e.g., on marine wildlife. The degradation of bioplastics in general does not release pollutants, and mineralization of the polymer yields CO2 and water in case of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen compounds. In this chapter, biobased polymers, which have a substitution potential of up to 90 %, are briefly discussed with respect to climate change mitigation.

Common plastic production and use have become one of the driving forces behind climate change due to unprecedented world pollution of land and sea. The culminating production of plastic is an estimated 7.8 billion tonnes as of 2015 (Our World Data, 2015). 50% of these plastics used are single-use, and only 9% of plastic made between 1950 and 2015 has been recycled (Geyer, Jambeck and Law, 2017). 8-14 million tonnes of plastic per year make it into the sea, polluting 88% of the Ocean and waters (Sherrington, 2016). In 2019 plastic production and incineration CO2 emissions will amount to over 850 million metric tonnes in one year (Center for International Environmental Law, 2019), this is set to rise to 2.75 billion metric tonnes per year by 2050. This has led to a demand for biodegradable bioplastic alternatives to curb pollution and reach global net zero. Production of bioplastic has low costs as it can be made from natural waste products and they are easily disposable as many are compostable or recyclable. This study aims to synthesise biofilm materials from 100% renewable materials such as starch, gelatine and agar. The biofilm material was analysed to ascertain parameters of solubility, swell volumes, chemical leaching, tensile strength and biodegradability. The data obtained was used to determine suitability for industrial and commercial use. The data collected indicated that though the biofilm material produced was not suitable for long term or industrial use, it exhibited qualities suitable for short term commercial uses such as single-use food packaging.

The plastics are polluting the environment and affect the humans. 94% of the plastics are thermoplastics or recyclable materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). The purpose of bioplastic production is an alternative for synthetic plastic. The starch is a natural biopolymer. Cassava starch is used for bioplastic production in many ways.

Over last several years, need of the polymers has increased. Polymers are a broad class of materials that can be natural in origin or synthetic. Very small variations in the chemical structure of polymer could lead to large change in their biodegradability. A vast number of biodegradable polymers (example: chitin, starch, polyhydroxyalkanoate, polylactide, polycaprolactone including polypeptides) has been synthesized or is formed in natural environment during the growth cycles of different organism. Microorganisms and enzymes capable of degrading such polymers have been identified. The use of additives like sorbitol, glycerol and poly ethylene glycol will enhance strength and thermal stability of polymers during processing. Already existing biopolymers are facing the issues in meeting market demand, cost of manufacturing, being non recyclable, release of carbon dioxide during manufacturing and release of methane gas during degradation. These issues can be overcome by novel starch and cellulose based bioplastic produced from biomass. Bioplastic will meet the market demand and degrade in the soil at high temperature.

The increasing significance of non-degradable plastic wastes is an emerging concern. As a substitute, researches are being endeavoured from existing reserve to yield bioplastics based on their properties of biodegradability. Owing to their cost, now the experts are quest for a substitute source like bacteria, microalgae, actinomycetes, cyanobacteria and plants. PHB is biodegradable, environmental friendly and biocompatible thermoplastics. Varying in toughness and flexibility, depending on their formulation, they are used in various ways similar to many non-biodegradable petrochemical plastics currently in use. Promising strategies contain genetic engineering of microorganisms to introduce production pathways examined for the past two decades. Such kind of researches focusing on the use of unconventional substrates, novel extraction methods, and genetically enhanced species with assessment to make PHB from marine microbes are commercially attractive field. Hence, this biopolymer synthesis may displayed as one of the survival mechanisms of endosymbiotic, macroalgae, or sponge-associated bacteria, which exist in a highly competitive and stressful marine microenvironment. This review throws light on the promising and growing awareness of using marine microbes as PHB source, along with their applications in different fields of aquaculture, medicine, antifouling and tissue engineering.

The purpose of the study is to replace non-degradable nursery plantation bag by using bioplastic as the alternative and to determine which starch is the most suitable to make the bioplastics. The best starch to make the bioplastics was the tapioca flour. The composition of flour in tapioca is way more compared to other flour. Tapioca starch was used as bioplastic as it is biodegradable. The strength of the bioplastic has been enhanced by addition of coconut fibre ashes.

Different preparation of coconut fibre ashes was used, with different temperature (up to 265 C & 750 C). Various ratio of materials was investigated to identify suitable composition.
Water absorption of sample with higher temperature ash were lower compared to lower temperature ash. The strength of bioplastic was enhanced with higher temperature ash. However, the low temperature ash is more stretchable.

As a result, the bioplastic vase was successfully been prepared. Many types of test were done to ensure the quality of the bioplastic such as the tear and tensile strength test and water absorption test. The results were shown in the study and bioplastic vase is possible to be done and it can save the ecosystem too.

ABSTRACT
Starches are unsuitable for most applications, therefore it must be modified chemically and/or physically to enhance their positive attributed and/or to minimize their defects. Starch can be produced from maize, potato, tapioca or cassava, wheat, rice and other foods. This research was based on the preparation of modified cassava starch using the acid treatment, acetylation and cross-link method and it was used in preparation of biodegradable plastic. The most suitable parameter of native cassava starch were 1:5 ratio of cassava to water at 5 hours settling time. The optimum parameters of modified cassava starch by acid treatment were 0.5mL of 35% hydrochloric acid and 0.05% of sodium hydroxide at 40oC reaction temperature for 75 minutes of reaction time, by acetylation were 2mL of acetic acid, 0.01% of sodium hydroxide, at room temperature (28-30oC)for 60 minutes and by cross-link method were 0.2g of fumaric acid, 0.2g of sodium acetate, at room temperature (28-30oC)and 60 minutes. Moreover the contents of moisture and ash, pH and gelatinization temperature were investigated. Both native and modified cassava starches (by three different methods) were determined by X-ray Diffractomer, FTIR, TG-DTA and SEM.
The prepared modified cassava starch (cross-linked starch and acetylated starch)were used in preparation of biodegradable plastic by three formulae. Formula 1 and Formula 2 gave hard plastic film and soft plastic film. Formula 3 gave the bad and poor texture of biodegradable plastic film. The physical, chemical and mechanical properties of biodegradable plastic such as tensile strength, elongation test, colour, biodegradability test, morphology, solubility test and moisture absorption were determined and compared with literature value. Biodegradable plastic prepared by acetylated method and cross-link method was identified by using SEM and TG-DTA.

Resumen
Los Polihidroxialcanoatos (PHA) son plásticos biocompatibles y biodegradables sintetizados por una amplia variedad de microorganismos, que comparten características muy similares con los plásticos de origen petroquímico. Los estudios más recientes se centran en la búsqueda de sustratos económicos y en estrategias de extracción que permitan la reducción de los costos del producto y de esta forma, puedan incursionar en un mercado ampliamente difundido donde dominan los plásticos derivados del petróleo. El objetivo de esta revisión, consiste en mostrar la producción de polihidroxialcanoatos como un recurso y herramienta de primera mano que tienen un gran potencial de uso en aplicaciones que van desde la manufactura de productos desechables de uso común, hasta la de productos biomédicos y farmacéuticos de alto valor agregado.

Abstract
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA´s) are biodegradable and biocompatible plastics synthesized by a wide variety of microorganisms, which share similar characteristics with petrochemical plastics. The most recent studies focus on the pursuit of economic substrates and extraction strategies that allow reducing product costs and thus, can make inroads in a market widely disseminated where petrochemical plastics dominate. The aim of this review is to show the polyhydroxyalkanoates production as a resource and tool first hand and have great potential for use in applications ranging from the manufacture of disposable products commonly used to biomedical and pharmaceutical products high added value.

Two materials: Corn starch and Banana peel from the Lacatan specie was used as biopolymer basis for the creation of two different bioplastics based on recent and latest literature. The samples were then put into biodegradability to see its potential impact on the environment when put into soil burial or compost conditions. The Weight % Loss of each sample were used as basis of biodegradation and t-test was used to test the results between bioplastics based on corns starch vs. banana peel. The results revealed that banana peel, degrades rapidly between 22.22% up to 74.47% of its mass within 15 days, especially when no anti-microbial agent is introduced into the bioplastic. Furthermore, corn starch-based bioplastic was discovered to reveal consistent Weight % Loss with recent studies to which Weight % Loss was at 48.39%.

In one minute, one million plastic bags are in use around the world and in Europe, plastic carrier bags are produced 3.4 million tons in a year and average European uses about 500 plastic bags per year that takes 100s of years to degrade and not only contaminates the environment but also directly impairments many living organisms. Bangladeshi scientist invented jute poly bag using jute cellulose that is biodegradable and bio-plastic in nature, which is substitute of conventional poly bag. It will play a significant role in concern with environment, temperature, air, soil and sea pollution as well as the opportunity to retain the glory of Bangladeshi jute in international market and farmers to keep smile. In the paper, we will analyze international marketing strategy, product positioning, competitiveness and potentiality in international market through SOWT, marketing mix & porter's five forces analysis. Our observation that newly invented jute biodegradable poly bag will gain market share in international plastic & bioplastic industry as well as the potential market for exporting all over the world and especially in Europe and North America. Bangladesh has both absolute and comparative advantages in producing jute poly bags.

Bioplastics are made from starch of plants that can easily dissolve in water and decompose; it can be molded to make plastic products than can replace the conventional plastic we have today. The starch of the cassava and corn can be a substitute in producing plastics that provides a study to test the feasibility of the starch-based bioplastic

The study has known the preferred material in making bioplastic and as efficiency. (1)Determine the level of effectiveness of the different water setups of the cornstarch and cassava starch based bioplastic in terms of (1.1 Solubility; pH, pressure, temperature and stirring), (1.2 Durability; temperature and tensile strength) and; (2) Determine if there is difference in the different water setups of the cornstarch and cassava starch bio plastic in terms of (tap water and stagnant water) and; (3) Identify the preferred bio-plastic according to the biologist respondents).

Primary and other significant data were gathered through the following: (1) experimentation and observation that was conducted mainly by researchers which involved the solubility and durability test; and (2) one on one interview with selected DOST-FRDI researchers as the respondents.

As per the main goal of the research study which is to determine the feasible material in making bio-plastic in terms of solubility and durability, results showed that bio-plastic made from cassava lead against corn starch bioplastic in terms of solubility and durability in tensile strength and corn starch lead in durability in terms temperature test against cassava starch.


The researchers recommend the following: (1) to conduct a study on dissolubility that involves the different bodies of water where trash commonly found.; (2) to conduct a study in decomposition of corn starch bioplastic and cassava bioplastic.; (3) to conduct a study with other bioplastic materials with their starches. ;(4) use bioplastic instead of the conventional bioplastic.; (5) the government agencies to spread awareness about plastic pollution and the use bioplastic.; (6) the vendors should use bioplastic as a packaging in their product.; (7) factories of bioplastic should use cassava starch in making bioplastic.
Keywords: Cassava starch and Corn starch, bioplastic, Experimentation and observation, Key informant interview, Calamba City, Laguna.

Bioplastic is an innovative and emerging industry that brings hope as well as ambiguity from materials sourcing to end life management. Circular economy (CE) which is to decouple economic growth from a carbon footprint and maximum utilization of renewable resources, that keep creating pressure on emerging bio-plastic industry to save our planet from the adverse effect of traditional plastic industry. Through the article, bioplastic circular value chain and aflow chart have been developed to understand, how circularity works in the value chain and stimulate competitiveness and necessity of practising circularity in the bioplastic industry. This technical research article has been conducted by mini literature review, information and knowledge gain from stake
holder’s publications, website, books, case study as well as direct and indirect involvement in bio-plastic industry. We observed the bioplastic industry also needs to practice circularity in the value chain that will ensure more competitiveness and gain sustainability leadership index.

Starch as a biopolymer directly extracted from nature has received much attention in recent years due to its strong advantages such as low cost, wide availability, renewability, and total compostability without toxic residues. Starch-based materials always display properties that are less satisfactory than those of traditional polymer materials, which can be ascribed to the inherent characteristics of starch. To make such materials to be truly competitive and to widen its applications, the development of starch-based nano-biocomposites could be a promising solution. This chapter provides the fundamental knowledge related to starch-based nano-biocomposites as well as the most recent developments in this area. Various types of nanofillers that have been used with plasticized starch are discussed such as montmorillonite, cellulose nanowhiskers, and starch nanoparticles. The preparation strategies for starch-based nano-biocomposites with these types of nanofillers and the corresponding dispersion state and related properties are also largely discussed.

Sustainable biofuels, biomaterials, and fine chemicals production is a critical matter that research teams around the globe are focusing on nowadays. Polyhydroxyalkanoates represent one of the biomaterials of the future due to their physicochemical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Designing efficient and economic bioprocesses, combined with the respective social and environmental benefits, has brought together scientists from different backgrounds highlighting the multidisciplinary character of such a venture. In the current review, challenges and opportunities regarding polyhydroxyalkanoate production are presented and discussed, covering key steps of their overall production process by applying pure and mixed culture biotechnology, from raw bioprocess development to downstream processing.

In recent years, the negative effects on the environment of the intensive use of synthetic, oil-derived plastics to make products have given renewed impetus to the search for biodegradable materials obtained from renewable sources, particularly biopolymers derived from vegetable, animal or microbial matter that could prove to be a sound alternative in a number of applications. However, the real challenge is to create new materials from food waste and not from specially grown crops, whose production in any case comes at an environmental cost.
In recent years, the testing of substances made from food waste has increased significantly; the sheer abundance of raw materials that can be used to make them has encouraged institutional research, as well as an approach to project development that has been widely embraced by the many young designers who craft these materials.
This paper considers all aspects of these materials, starting from a historical overview. It presents some of the most interesting experiments underway, and envisages possible future scenarios.

Agosto 2017 Poza Rica Ver. OBTENCIÓN DE PELICULAS PLASTIFICADAS DE QUITOSANO OBTENIDAS A PARTIR DE EXOESQUELETOS DE CAMARON EN LA REGION NORTE DE VERACRUZ. PÁGINA CONTENIDO 2.3 Obtención de quitina y quitosano 37 2.4 Obtención de películas 40 2.5 Determinación de parámetros de calidad 42 2.5.1 Porcentaje de humedad 42 2.5.2 Porcentaje de materia insoluble 42 2.5.3 Rendimiento global 42 CAPITULO 3. RESULTADOS 3.1 Resultados de quitina y quitosano 43 3.2 Resultados de parámetros de calidad 44 CONCLUSIONES 47 BIBLIOGRAFIA 48 Agradecimientos A DIOS. Primero que nada debo de agradecerle a él, por guiarme en todo momento y darme las fuerzas para haber superado todos los obstáculos que se me han puesto, porque gracias a su intersección he llegado hasta donde hoy me encuentro. A MI PADRE. Gracias por ser mi héroe sin capa, por ser el único hombre que me amara por sobre todas las cosas, por ser mi apoyo incondicional, por hacerme reír, llorar, enojarme, y a pesar de todo amarme cada día mas. Por ser el sustento del hogar, por trabajar arduamente todos los días para darnos lo mejor, por esos tiempos de calidad junto a ti, por tu gran esfuerzo, yo orgullosamente puedo decir que tengo al mejor papá, jamás me cansare de darte las gracias por todo lo que me has dado, jamás me cansare de decirte que te amo papá. A MI MADRE. Mami hermosa, es un honor ser llamada tu hija, eres un ser humano increíblemente fascinante, siempre has visto por mi bienestar, siempre tienes palabras de aliento para mí, para que me levante cada que veo imposible una cosa, sé que puedo contar contigo para todo, más que mi madre, te has convertido en una amiga, aquella en la cual puedo confiar, tu sonrisa ilumina mis días grises y tu amor reconforta mis días difíciles, gracias por confiar en mí, por creer en mí y en mi capacidad, gracias a ti y a mi padre he llegado hasta donde me encuentro ahora, este logro es tanto mío como de ustedes, le doy gracias a dios por haberme mandado al mundo con unos grandes padres como ustedes. Te amo mamá, los amo a los dos con todo mí ser. A MI HERMANO.

The increasing use of plastics in everyday life results in environmental pollution. Synthetic plastic is difficult to be degraded in nature, so we need the main material for making environmentally friendly plastics. This research was conducted to synthesize seaweed-based biodegradable plastic (Eucheuma cottonii) mixed with cassava starch and polysaccharides derived from various tropical fruit seeds that are widely available in Indonesia such as avocado and durian with a composition ratio of 3:8:1. Characterization carried out included functional group analysis with FTIR, mechanical properties (tensile strength) and biodegradability.

The amount of chemosynthetic plastic waste increases every year and exact time for its degradation is unknown. Two poly-β-hydroxybutyrate producing bacteria from different microbial sources were isolated and characterized for their morphological, biochemical properties. Based on their 16S rDNA, they were identified as Rhizobium elti E1 and Pseudomonas stutzeri E114. The bacterial strains were screened for PHB production and compared for the intensity of fluorescence using Nile red staining methods. PHB production conditions were optimized with different carbon and nitrogen sources, the highest PHB production was observed with mannitol, sucrose and ammonium sulphate by R. elti and P. stutzeri, respectively. Regarding incubation time as well as temperature and pH, optimum PHB production conditions were 48 h, 30°C and 7, respectively. R. elti and P. stutzeri are capable of accumulating appreciable levels of PHB from glucose, xylose, lactose, whey, molasses, sugar cane bagasse, rice straw hydroysate when 2% from all substrates were used an alternative carbon for the PHB production. Ammonium sulphate was the best nitrogen source. C/N ratio was also one of the factors that affected the production of PHB. The ratio of C/N that reaches 20:1 was considered the best ratio to produce the highest production of PHB. The highest yield of PHB was done by P. stutzeri more than R. elti. The present study provide the useful data about the optimized conditions for PHB production by R. elti and P. stutzeri that can be utilized for industrial production of PHB, a fast emerging alternative of non biodegradable plastics.

The need for renewable alternatives to traditional petroleum-derived plastics has driven recent interest in biobased composite materials that are sourced from carbon-neutral feedstocks. Lignin, an abundant plant-derived feedstock, has been a candidate for renewable materials; however, it is often difficult to blend with other biopolymers. In order to improve the miscibility of lignin with other bioplastics, we developed a catalytic and solvent free method for synthesis of a lignin−PLA copolymer. Graft polymerization of lactide onto lignin catalyzed by triazabicyclodecene (TBD) resulted in a lignin-g-poly(lactic acid) copolymer; chain length of the PLA is controlled by varying of the lignin/lactide ratio and preacetylation treatment. Endgroup analysis reveals high grafting efficiency and preferential grafting on lignin aliphatic hydroxyls over phenolic hydroxyls. The lignin-g-PLA copolymers display a glass transition temperature range from 45 to 85°C and multiphase melting behavior. The lignin-g-PLA copolymers are used as dispersion modifiers in PLA-based materials to enhance UV absorption and reduce brittleness without a sacrifice in the modulus of elasticity.

Biodegradation of the bioplastic composite based on cellulose from oil palm empty fruit bunches was investigated in this study. Microbes consortium from landfill soil collected from top soil were used as the inoculums for the biodegradation process. Biodeg-radation test of the bioplastic from oil palm empty fruit bunch samples compared with oxodegradation and conventional plastic samples were conducted in the glass jar. The biodegradation rate was evaluated from CO2 generated from the biodegradation process and absorbed by 0.1 N sodium hydroxide solutions. The generated CO2 was titrated with 0.1 N HCl and using phenol-phthalein (PP) followed by methyl oranges indicator. The results showed that the highest CO2 production on landfill soil indicating the highest rate of biodegradation was found on bioplastic from oil palm empty fruit bunch followed by oxodegradable plastic and conventional plastic. The rate of biodegradation for bioplastic from oil palm empty fruit bunch, oxodegradable plastic and conventional plastic were 0.067, 0.052 and 0.000 mg CO2/day, respectively. How to cite (CSE Style 8 th Edition): Rahman A, Syamsu K, Isroi. 2019. Biodegradability of Bioplastic from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch. JPSL 9(2): 258-263. http://dx.