The synthesis, production &amp; economic feasibility of manufacturing PLA from agricultural waste

Fahim, Irene S.; Chbib, Hani; Mahmoud, Hamada M.

doi:10.1016/j.scp.2019.100142

Cited by 35 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The economic costs of biodegradable plastics are depicted in Tables 4-6. The data shows that the production of PLA from waste would yield a return of investment (ROI) of about 56% per year [68]. The outcomes show that the production of bio-based polymers is economically viable.…”

Section: An Economic Study Of the Costs Of Synthetic Versus Biodegradmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Sustainability of Plastic in Agriculture

Maraveas

2020

Agriculture

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This article investigates the environmental sustainability of plastic nets in agricultural environments based on published experimental data. This article focuses on biodegradable and synthetic plastics used in farms as mulching materials and shade materials/greenhouse covering materials (shade nets and plastic films) to protect plants from pests and extreme weather. The sustainability was determined by three factors, carbon footprint from cradle to the end of life (LCA), durability (resistance to photo-oxidation and high tensile strength), and affordability. The LCA analyses showed that the production of polyethylene (PE) requires less energy and generates low quantities of greenhouse gas equivalents. Beyond the LCA data, biodegradable polymers are sustainable based on biodegradability and compostability, ability to suppress weeds, control soil temperatures, and moisture, and augment fertigation and drip irrigation. However, existing technologies are a limiting factor because lab-based innovations have not been commercialized. In addition, industrial production of shade nets, plastic greenhouse covers, and mulching materials are limited to synthetic plastics. The bio-based plastic materials are sustainable based on biodegradability, and resistant to photo-oxidation. The resistance to UV degradation is an essential property because solar radiation cleaves C-C bonds, which in turn impact the mechanical strength of the materials. In brief, the sustainability of plastics in farms is influenced by LCA data, mechanical and optical properties, and performance relative to other materials.

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Section: An Economic Study Of the Costs Of Synthetic Versus Biodegradmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Sustainability of Plastic in Agriculture

Maraveas

2020

Agriculture

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“…PLA is a polyester that is classified as Generally Recognized as Safe (known as GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [15]. Commercial synthesis of PLA via the condensation of lactic acid is an environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and energy efficient process [16][17][18][19][20][21]. For these reasons, PLA has been established as a viable biodegradable polymer for food packaging applications [22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Mechanism of Electron Beam Radiation-Induced Modification of Poly(lactic acid) for Applications in Biodegradable Food Packaging

et al. 2022

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Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer used for food packaging. The effects of electron beam radiation on the chemical and physical properties of amorphous PLA were studied. In this study, amorphous, racemic PLA was irradiated at doses of 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy in the absence of oxygen. Utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry, it was found that alkoxyl radicals are initially formed as a result of C-O-C bond scissions on the backbone of the PLA. The dominant radiation mechanism was determined to be H-abstraction by alkoxyl radicals to form C-centered radicals. The C-centered radicals undergo a subsequent peroxidation reaction with oxygen. The gel permeation chromatography (GPC) results indicate reduction in polymer molecular mass. The differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results showed a subtle increase in crystallinity of the irradiated PLA. Water vapor transmission rates were unaffected by irradiation. In conclusion, these results support that irradiated PLA is a suitable material for applications in irradiation of food packaging, including food sterilization and biodegradation.

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“…[16][17][18][19][20] Other applications like biopolymer synthesis from biowaste and ecodyeing with SCGs have been proposed. [21][22][23] Nevertheless, these processes have drawbacks, such as costs, use of toxic chemicals, and mostly lab-based processes that need scaling, while estimates suggest that even centralized processing plants for biodiesel would struggle to compete. [24][25][26] SCG composition can vary depending upon the roasting and processing techniques but generally consist of more than 50% carbohydrates that are mainly hemicellulose and cellulose that include their hydrolysis products, while the remaining part comprises lignin, lipids, proteins, minerals, and other substances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%