A Study of Biodegradation of Hybrid Bioplastic Films Blend from Manihot and Triticum Biopolymer

Abstract

Environmental concerns associated with synthetic plastics are detrimental and have made it very crucial to develop biodegradable polymers for commercial and industrial uses. This work investigates the biodegradability of starch (biopolymer) based bioplastics through the soil burial test (SBT) technique. The biopolymeric films were synthesized from 190 and 250 µm biopolymer particulates of manihot esculenta and triticum aestivum. Blends from each particle size were produced in varied proportions with other additives. The biopolymeric films were characterized by physical, physiochemical, thermal, and microstructural tests. The biodegradability of starch-based polymers was determined by a soil burial test for 30 days where topsoil was used as a source of microbial activity. The conventional polyethylene film was also applied to the test. The bioplastic films were observed to have cracks on the surface and became hard and brittle at the end of the testing period. The total weight loss of 46.55–63.77 % was achieved by the bioplastic films. The LDPE film showed no trace of macro-structural changes or any weight reduction throughout the soil burial test. This research concludes that bioplastic films outperformed ordinary plastic films, as they were proven to be biodegradable; and can be employed efficiently in packaging applications.