Integrated Basic Education Department

BIOPLASTICS FROM FISH SCALES

Members:
Regina Angeli Dei
De-Andrie Gotuato
Jerome Nuevo
Kristine Blanco Valle
Maria Elena Javillionar
Rafsanjanie Pendiaman
Renz Boneo
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Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Plastic-based materials are commonly used since the 20th century emerged.

Usual tools and objects made in wood and metal have been changed into plastic-

based due to the convenience of the resources. Unlike in metal and wood-based

products, plastics create a more flexible shaping method which contributes to the

convenience it brings. Plastic also make good insulator of heat which wards the high

conductivity of metal.

Plastic materials have the most number of production in a year. Annually,

more than 300 million tons of produced plastic, in which 50% of it are single-use

plastics. It has become very alarming because plastics are made faster than destroyed.

Of the 8.3 B metric tons of produced plastic, 6.3 B of it end up as plastic waste, it

being the one-time use of plastic materials. The single-usage of plastic water bottles

and plastic bags contribute to the vast majority of wasted plastic.

The continual flow of modernity calls for innovation and ease. Various

inventions are presented by different organizations and individuals. Resolution are

continuously provided for the number of problems and issues that arise. Yet, it puts

a large portion of resources and environment at risk. The call for adaptation risks the

non-renewable sources and other form of sources used for supplies. Different
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alternatives, renewable resources, and technological alterations come to surface as

researchers and scientists continue to create and search for various solutions to

different global problems.

The researchers of this study aim to produce a biodegradable plastic made

mainly from agar starch and fish scales to cope with the rising effects of plastic

pollution.

Statement of the problem

This study ought to provide a sustainable biodegradable plastic primarily

made up from agar starch and fish scales. The following questions are to be

answered:

1. Is the biodegradable plastic efficient in terms of the following:

1.1 Strength

1.2 . Sustainability

1.3 Availability

1.4 Affordability

2. How many kilos can this bioplastic support?

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Significance of the Study

The rationale of this study is to save in the production cost and be helpful to

the environment. The study aims to create a product that is easy to decompose and is

safer than the regular plastic cups. Hence, this will benefit everyone for it is for the

betterment of our environment. The study could also be of importance to the

following:

Environmentalists. The study to be conducted will be a help to the

environmentalists for they can be more aware of this possible solution to the ongoing

problem of pollution, more specifically the plastic wastes. As the main beneficiaries

of the study, this would help them to advocate the importance of decomposition as

well as the uses of alternative resources.

Plastic Manufacturers. The study will help the manufacturers to lessen the

dependency to limited fossil resources, which is the main ingredient of regular

plastics. Since this product is made out of renewable resources, it can be

manufactured without endangering the environment and it could lessen the

production cost that could be greatly beneficial to the manufacturer.

Future Researchers. The outcome of this study could serve as reference data in

understanding and knowing about the use and effects of the biodegradable plastics
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in order for them to be further enlightened on their current and future similar studies.

Furthermore, this could be also be of great help for them to broaden their ideas on

this particular topic.

Scope and Limitation

The Investigatory Project is about alternative plastics called Biodegradable

Plastics. This project will undergo experiments before we finalize. It needs a certain

materials to it to be able to this product.

The way of collecting information is through finding topics or studies that is

relate to bioplastics. Also, from the ideas of every researchers to come up to this

project.

The uses of our project is also the same with the common plastics but in a

cheaper way and to prevent its harmful effects. Unlike the regular plastics, this

project will not use chemical compounds to make bioplastics. Also, this study will

be produce approximately 6 weeks or less.

Hypothesis

The researchers believe that fish scale will perform its quality and strength.

Referring to the bioplastic that contains algae-starch. This reason, as well as many

others, It helps an educated guess that the longest surviving biodegradable plastic
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will be fish scale. Also, another reason bioplastic would take more time to biodegrade

is because of the higher starch content, but will still biodegrade in about 4-6 weeks

Definition of Terms

Agar Starch - is a differential media that tests the ability of an organism to produce

certain exoenzymes.

Anaerobic Waste System - is a biological process where microorganisms degrade

organic contaminants in the absence of oxygen.

Biodegradable plastics - are plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living

organisms, usually microbes, carbon dioxide, and biomass.

Bioplastics - Is a plastic materials produced from renewable biomass resources, Such

as vegetable fats and oils , Corn starch and recycled food waste.

fish scale - is a small rigid plate that grows out of the skin of a fish.
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Chapter II

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Bioplastics

The extensive production of conventional plastics and their use in different

commercial applications poses a significant threat to both the fossil fuels sources and

the environment. Alternatives called bioplastic evolved during development of

renewable resources. Utilizing renewable resources like agricultural wastes (instead

of petroleum sources) and their biodegradability in different environments enabled

these polymers to be more easily acceptable than the conventional plastics. The

biodegradability of bioplastics is highly affected by their physical and chemical

structure. On the other hand, the environment in which they are located, plays a

crucial role in the biogradation. This review highlights the recent findings attributed

to the biodegradation of bioplastics in various environments, environmental

conditions, degree of biodegradation, including the indentified bioplastic-degrading

microorganisms from different microbial communities. (SM Emadian. 2017)

Currently used plastics were produced from petrochemical products, but

there is a growing demand for eco-friendly plastics. The use of bio-based plastics,

which are produced from renewable resources, and biodegradable plastics, which are
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degraded in the environment, will lead to a more sustainable society and help us solve

global environmental and waste management problems. (Tadahista Iwata, 2015)

Biodegradable and compostable plastics offer innovative solutions to improve

recycling quality by facilitating the means for more efficient separate collection of

bio-waste and help to divert organic waste from other recycling streams. Organic

recycling is a well-established industrial process ensuring the circular use for

biodegradable plastics while creating a strong secondary raw material market and

opportunity for renewable energy generation. (Berlin, 2017)

Starch-based

The disintegration of starch-based plastics will occur in properly managed

landfills, soil, and anaerobic waste systems. As degradable plastics have become

more widely publicized, questions have raised by environmental and consumer

groups about the effects the degrading products will have on soil and ground water.

The aerobic refuse burial was carried out with relatively heavy organic loads with

the composition of municipal solid waste excluding metal and glass. Temperature is

a critical factor in both the biological activity of an environment and the rate of

reactions catalyzed by pro-oxidants.The addition of starch produced a significant

reduction in breaking strength, elongation, and energy to break. (Gene Iannotti, et

al.,2018)
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Due to the negative environmental impacts of synthetic plastics, the

development of biodegradable plastics for both industrial and commercial

applications is essential today. Researchers have developed various starch-based

composites for different applications. The present work investigates the corn and rice

starch-based bioplastics for packaging applications. Various samples of bioplastics

are produced, with different compositions of corn and rice starch, glycerol, citric

acid, and gelatin. The tensile properties were improved after adding rice starch.

However, water absorption and water solubility were reduced. The results show the

suitability of rice and corn-based thermoplastic starch for packaging applications.

(M. K. Marichelvam, et al., 2019)

Fish Waste

The objective of this study was to prepare the wheat gluten based bioplastics

with fish scale (FS) through compression molding. The tensile strength of the wheat

gluten/FS composites (the range of 6.5–7.5 MPa) was higher than that of the neat

wheat gluten-based bioplastic (3.40 MPa). There was a good dispersion of the fish

scale powder embedded within the wheat gluten matrix. Dynamic mechanical

analysis results showed that the tan delta max peak height and storage modulus of

the wheat gluten-based bioplasic was reduced by adding the fish scale. Moreover,

the addition of the fish scale caused a weight loss and the surface of the wheat gluten
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based bioplastic after 120 h of accelerated weathering were differed from the neat

wheat gluten based bioplastic. These results may help to find a new applications for

fish scale waste to control the degradation rate of a wheat gluten based bioplastic in

the agricultural field. (S Thammahiwes, et, al., 2017)

Despite disadvantages of plastic materials such as environmental pollution,

toxic material accumulation, reasons such as elasticity, easy shape and cheap

materials have been preferred. However, environmental pollution has increased due

to the ease of transportation, single use in daily life and intensive use. Because of

this, bioplastics have emerged as a solution and are thought to be more beneficial to

the environment. Bioplastics are a form of plastic derived from renewable biomass

sources, such as vegetable oil, corn starch, pea starch or microorganisms, instead of

fossil fuel plastic derived from petroleum. Recently, bioplastic production of fish

wastes has been started. With the recycling of wastes, instead of leaving these

crustacean products to the environment, new products have been started to be

evaluated by chemical or biological methods. Thus, the process called recycle of

waste become environmental friendly, economical, healthy. Also its reduces the

usage o petroleneum derived product by using bioplastics instead of plastic. For all

of that reasons bioplastic usage increased in our life. ( Emel Varna, et al., 2019)
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Synthesis

Bioplastics are regarded as an environmentally responsible alternative to

starch-based plastics. They rely less on fossil fuels, a non-renewable resource. They

also are biodegradable when disposed of properly, reducing waste. Bioplastic

products also result in a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions because the plants

used to produce the bioplastic material absorb the same amount of carbon they started

with, thus displacing that carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere.
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CHAPTER III

Research Methodology

This chapter is entitled as “Research Methodology” which describes the

research design, locale of the study, research instrumentation, data gathering

procedure, subject of the study and the statistical treatment that explain how the data

gathered.

Research Design

The researchers used a quantitative approach since the questionnaire is

designed to collect and gather numerical data. In this research, experimental design

is used by the researchers using survey questionnaires. Its main purpose is to

determine and answer the questions concerned in their experience of air pollutants

and pollution, this is important since the researchers want to know the relevancy of

the seashell air purifier to commuters, the researchers will then approach on

achieving results on the given project that will lead more on experimentation design

order to be effective. As stated by Gay L.R. (1992), experimental method is the only

method of research that can truly test hypotheses concerning cause-and-effect

relationships. It represents the most valid approach to the solution of education

problems, both practical and theoretical, and to the advancement of education as

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science. Therefore, knowing the perception of the commuters is a step on testing

hypothesis in order to know if they'll more likely needing the seashell air purifier.

Locale of the Study

The researchers conducted the study at Mela’s House located at 35 Maya

Maya Drive Victoria Valley Subdivision Townhouse Antipolo Rizal. The researcher

chose this place because it is more convenient than the other houses of the other

groupmates. Also, it is more comfortable to work on and most of the materials we

needed are all there. And they have access to their cars which can helps us to buy

whenever there’s something we might forget to bring or buy to.

Research Instrumentation
The researchers make use of the following resources and materials:
 Starch
 Fish Waste
 Vinegar
 Water
 Oil
 Pot
 Spatula
 Spoon
 Gastove

The researchers use these instruments to know the durability of te bioplastic.the

use of instruments is minimal in order to maintain the ideal cost of the product. The
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product is also conducted into multiple test to the best outcome of the biodegradable
materials.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers will be using experimental method to gather the

needed to find the efficiency the efficiency of the bioplastic using fish scales.

The data will base on the strength, sustainability, availability and, lastly the

decomposition days of the bioplastic from fish scales as time passes by.

1. Mix all the ingredients

2. Boil the mixed ingredients

3. Put the final product in the baking sheet

4. Flatten the product

5. Wait until 3 days to dry

Statistical Treatment

This research would like to know the efficacy of bioplastics rather than

conventional plastics in terms of strength, sustainability, availability, and

affordability.

To examine the strength the researchers will use the formula in tensile

strength which is S=P/a

Where:

S is the breaking strength

P is the force that can cause it to break

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a is the cross sectional area

To examine the sustainability the researchers will use the (CSIP) formula which is

𝐶𝑆𝐼𝑃 = ∑ ωi Ii
𝑖=1

Where:

Csip is the composite sustainability index if a project

ωi is the weight of sustainability indicator

Ii is the normalized value of sustainability indicator

To test the availability of the ingredients in making the bioplastics the researchers

will use the formula in getting the availability which is

Availability =demand satisfied / total demand

To test the affordability of the ingredients the researchers will use the T-test