Bioplastic free essay sample

The toxic plastic load on the earth is growing and at this rate will cause a whole range of problems for future generations. Making eco-friendly plastics using raw materials such as pulverized cocos nucifera fiber, dried eichhornia and extracted abelmoschus esculentus mucilage to as its main components that take less time to break down can help our community reduce the rate of pollutants since it gets absorbed in the earth, and there will no longer be tons of plastic dominating our landfills. Using eichhornia (water hyacinth) as one of its main component will lessen the rate of water hyacinth which degrade water quality by blocking photosynthesis have been greatly reducing oxygen levels in the water. Bioplastics are a form of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, like vegetable oil, or corn starch, rather than conventional plastics which are made from petroleum. Things made with conventional plastics all have one common flaw and that is they all are made using petroleum based plastics. We will write a custom essay sample on Bioplastic or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Worldwide we produce about 100 million tons of petroleum plastic per year.To make these plastics we use about 7 million barrels of oil per day. Now imagine that number dropping to zero. With the help of bio plastics, one day that may be a reality. However, usage of plastic has caused many environmental downsides. This is because, plastic is so resilient that even burying it deep within the Earth doesn’t keep it from impacting the environment. Although plastics can be recycled, many people still burn them and we all know that it is harmful to the environment. It may also affect people’s health because plastics contain many chemical additives which cause illnesses like endocrine disruption which can lead to cancers, birth defects, immune system suppression and developmental problems in children.And worse it can also lead to toxicity of living organisms and marine animals. This ecological problem impelled the development of new materials that can be substitutes in producing biodegradable plastic which led us to think the utilization of eco- friendly materials that can be an alternative in making bioplastic. Scopes and Limitations The research study was concerned with utilizing coconut husk fibers or cocus nucifera a nd water hyacinth in producing a bioplastic product. The research focused not only on the simple production but also the quality of the said product in terms of brittleness and flexibility.Mucilage was obtained from okra where glycirin is found and improves the brittleness of the product. Furthermore, this study is also concerned in using cornstarch as the source of polymer considered as the building blocks of the product. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study is to produce an alternative plastic made up of organic materials. Another purpose of this study is to answer the following questions: 1. What will be the organic material used in making the plastic? 2.What content(s) is/are most effective in making the bioplastic more efficient compared to other plastics? 3. How long will it take for the plastic to break down? 4. Will the plastic be more pliable if greater amount of okra mucilage is added to the product? 5. Will this study be helpful in reducing the number of water hyacinth that brings negative effects to our community? Definition of terms Plastics- any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass.Biodegradable Plastics- plastics that will decompose in natural aerobic (composting) and anaerobic (landfill) environments. Biodegradation of plastics occurs when microorganisms metabolize the plastics to either assimilable compounds or to humus-like materials that are less harmful to the environment. Glycerol- is a simple polyol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is widely used in pharmaceutical formulations. Glycerol has three hydroxyl groups that are responsible for its solubility in water and its hygroscopic nature.It acts like a lubricant at the molecular level Polymer- is the main building block of all plastics. It is a large molecule (macromolecule) composed of repeating structural units. These sub-units are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds. Although the term polymer is sometimes taken to refer to plastics, it actually encompasses a large class of compounds comprising both natural and synthetic materials with a wide variety of properties. Mucilage- a thick, gluey substance produced by nearly all plants and some microorganisms. It is a polar glycoprotein and an exopolysaccharide. Mucilage in plants plays a role in the storage of water and food, seed germination, and thickening membranes. Starch- or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store. It is the most common carbohydrate in the human diet and is contained in large amounts in such staple foods as potatoes, wheat, maize (corn), rice, and cassava. Starch is made of two basic components: amylose and amylopectin.