Gluten-based bioplastics with modified controlled-release and hydrophilic properties

Thermomechanical properties and water uptake capacity of soy protein‐based bioplastics processed by injection molding

“…There has been an increase in the number of research studies concerning water uptake capacity in biopolymer systems during the last years, specially due to their potential applications in the fields of biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and agricultural engineering …”

Ternary Biopolymer Based on Wheat Gluten, Whey Protein Concentrate and Montmorillonite

“…Besides their ecofriendly biodegradability and non-ecotoxicity, it is easier than for plastics to design controlled release formulations [5]. The encapsulation of a chemical fertilizer in a biopolymer matrix could decrease environmental pollution of ground water [6]. Konjak glukomannan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/Na ?…”

Biodegradable poly-3-hydroxybutyrate as a fertiliser carrier

“…Moreover, the release time of the formulations described in this study is much longer than the release times of the formulations described in the literature. In a study described by Chen et al , urea encapsulated in starch‐ g ‐poly( l ‐lactide) films was completely released after 24 h. Gomez‐Martinez et al prepared compressed specimens composed of gluten and KCl, with glycerol or PEG used as plasticisers and citric/formic/octanoic acid or wax as a modifier, yielding slow release patterns. Specimens containing low‐molecular‐weight PEG (200–4000 Da) showed slower KCl release into water (about 75% of the initially loaded KCl for 3 days) than specimens without PEG (about 95% for the same period) and, surprisingly, specimens with higher‐molecular‐weight PEG (100% for 5 h).…”

“…3,4 These materials must be completely degraded in soil, without releasing substances toxic to biota and humans, be compatible with fertilisers, and enable controlled release of the active ingredient. A number of researchers reported embedding fertilisers in carriers made from degradable materials such as starch with poly-L-lactide, 5 gluten and KCl, 6 polymer hydrogels based on polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, and their blends cross-linked with glutaraldehyde, 7 acrylamide/itaconic acid, 8 chitosan, 9,10 and the use of degradable coatings for granular fertilisers (based on the core/shell principle), employing wax, polyurethane, polysulfone, polyacrylamide, lignin, cellulose and its derivatives, starch, 5,11 -13 etc. At the present time, the main obstacle to the wide use of slow-release fertilisers is their high cost. For instance, the cost of polymer-coated urea is four to eight times higher than the cost of the commercial urea formulation, 14 mainly because of the high cost of the coating.…”