SARRAT NATIONAL HIGHSCHOOL

The Efficiency of Fish Scale as a

Bioplastic

Rick Axel M. Gala

Almirah Faye Medrano

Student

Ms. Visha Gantala

Adviser

January 2020
 INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND ON THE STUDY

The plastic problem is everywhere we all know this because of the wild spread of plastic

waste this will become more a big problem if no one to takes an action or this can lead to a

hazardous impact on wildlife and also affect the human food chain. But were still using plastic

because It’s nearly impossible to avoid plastics in our everyday lives because it’s completely

everywhere. Plastic packaging, plastic containers, plastic toy the list goes on. According to the

World Health Organization (WHO) that 50% of the plastic we use is single-use or disposable.

But the thing is that studies show that plastic is loaded with toxic chemicals that can harm our

health and also the slow degradation of plastic.

The common practices to prevent plastic pollution is to reduce the use of single-use

plastic and some to use newly developed bioplastic. Many manufacture companies adopted the

way of the use of bioplastics. The often-cited advantages of bioplastic are reduced use of fossil

fuel resources, a smaller carbon footprint, and faster decomposition. But One 2011 study from

the University of Pittsburgh found other environmental issues associated with growing plants

for bioplastic. Among them: pollution from fertilizers and land diverted from food production.

It means that bioplastic production resulted in greater amounts of pollutants than regular

plastics.

However, the demand for bioplastic is getting higher and higher. The researcher found

an easy and cheapest way to make a bioplastic using the scale of a fish that this could make the

plastic and pollution eliminate in an ecofriendly way.

Statement of the Problem

This research will aim to eliminate plastic waste by the use of a fish scale. So, it will

answer the following answer;

1. Is Making this fish scale bioplastic, Expensive?

2. How long it takes to biodegrade?

3. Is there any side effect of using bioplastics?

Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis

1. The fish scale bioplastic will fail in the making

Alternative Hypothesis

2. The fish scale bioplastic will be successful in the making

Significance of the Study

If the research is successful and approve it will benefit to the following people;

Climate Change/Global Warming Activist will support this research so that wildlife

would be greener and cleaner.

The Community that can use this product as an alternative from the regular plastics

The Feature Researcher that will going improve to improve this research and make it

more convenient.

Scope and Limitation

This research study is started at the December of 2019, up to January of 2020. The cite

of this research was at Sarrat Ilocos Norte. This research about “The Efficiency of Fish Scale

as a Bioplastic” aims to eliminate or reduce the use of single use-plastic

Review of Literature

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly

increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal

with them. Plastic pollution is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where

garbage collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent. But the developed world,

especially in countries with low recycling rates, also has trouble properly collecting discarded

plastics. Plastic trash has become so ubiquitous it has prompted efforts to write a global

treaty negotiated by the United Nations.

Bioplastic is defined as a moldable plastic material made up of

chemical compounds that are derived from or synthesized by microbes such as bacteria or

by genetically modified plants according to the Encyclopedia Britannica

A fish scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of the skin of a fish. The skin of

most fishes is covered with these protective scales, which can also provide effective

camouflage through the use of reflection and coloration, as well as possible hydrodynamic

advantages.

According to a study that fish scale and bone have a similar structure, the fish collagen

dermis has gradually evolved into the derivatives bone. There are plenty of organic /inorganic

components in the fish scale. The organic components were about 40%-55%, including

collagen, scleroprotein, lecithin, fat and variety of vitamins, etc.; the percentage of organic

components was about 7%-25%, including hydroxyapatite and calcium phosphate, Toshiyuki

Ikoma et al. Researched the microstructure of fish scales from Pafrus major by transmission

electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray in 2003.

 Methodology

Research Design