Plant derived Starch for the Production of Biodegradable Plastic

Petroleum-based plastics have hazardous effect on the environment. The non-degradability of conventional plastics has led to the filling of landfill sites, raising water, land pollution, and rapid depletion of fossil resources. One promising solution is the production of starch-blended biodegradable polymers. These polymers are produced from renewable resources such as corn, potato, cassava, jackfruit, rice, wheat, barley and sorghum and have the potential to be biodegradable or compostable. Starch, the main component of these materials, is derived from plants, making it a renewable resource. Starch is a potential biological polymer due to its intrinsic biodegradability, availability, and annual renewability. Glycerol was used as a plasticizer, and it was reported that the addition of citric acid would improve the solubility of starch. In general a combination of starch, vinegar, glycerol and water is used for the preparation of thin films. Glycerol, a a plasticizer increase the polymer’s elongation and enhance processibility by lowering the melting and softening points and viscosity of the melts. However, starch, as a natural component, can introduce challenges in maintaining the structural integrity and durability of the resulting polymer blend. Another concern is the sensitivity of the starch-blended biodegradable polymers to environmental conditions. These materials often exhibit susceptibility to moisture, leading to potential issues of water absorption and subsequent degradation. In near future, there might be a solution for this problems, and starch based bio-plastic can be utilized for the for the food packaging.