Journal of Advances in Civil Engineering and Management

Volume 3 Issue 1

An Experimental Investigation on Bio-plastics from Vegetable

Waste
P.Sasirekha1*, K.Siddarth2, N.Sivasakthi3, P.Theivendran4
1
Assistant Professor, 2,3,4Student
Department of Civil Engineering, Sethu Institute of Technology, Pulloor, Tamil Nadu, India.
*Corresponding Author
E-mail Id:-sasir512@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Plastic are made from petroleum which is an oil based product. It is used on daily basis
throughout the world. The characteristic of plastic is not suitable for our environment,
meaning that it takes decades to degrade. There bonds aren’t so easy to break by nature.
Burning and burying can cause environment problems. The world is drowning in excess
environmentally harmful plastic which is made from oil, a nonrenewable resource. The use of
polymers, which are substances with a higher molecule mass and which have a large number
of repeating units, in common days. So, alternative to the plastic is Bio-plastics, which is
more eco-friendly. Bio-plastics are biodegradable plastics. The production of Bio-plastics a
more sustainable activity compared to conventional plastic production. These components
are derived directly from renewable raw plant materials, a pure material of nature. By using
Bio-plastics it will be help in sustainability and in national development thus, it will be make
the environment less overwhelmed with greenhouse gases and also helping in reduction of
waste biomass. In this project, starch of cassava, corns were used as bio-polymers and
Glycerol as a plasticize. These raw materials will be further processed using a simple and
common technique in which it will be converted into small particles and it will be dried then
it will be powered. Then, further procedure will be taking over in which we will be obtaining
the expected product. Through this experimental work we will be achieving to get a Bio-
plastic from other organic materials that are being dumped unwanted that can be
regenerated as useful Bio-plastics with a lot of application in various industries and can
make a huge change in the environment and health. Types of Bio-plastics were made using
various combinations of raw materials and plasticize. The applications of Bio-plastics are
packaging, catering products, gardening, medical products, and sanitary products.

Keywords:-Biodegradable, Renewable, Sustainability, Biomass.

INTRODUCTION effects, such as entanglement in plastic

Plastic
Plastic pollution is a phenomena were
accumulation of plastic objects (e.g.:
plastic bottles and much more) in the
Earth's environment that adversely affects
wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.
Plastic pollution can afflict land,
waterways and oceans. It have been
estimated that 1.1 to 8.8 million metric
tons of plastic waste enters the ocean from
coastal communities each year [6]. Living
organisms, particularly marine animals,
can be harmed either by mechanical
objects or problems related to ingestion of
plastic waste, or through exposure to
chemicals within plastics. Humans are also
affected by plastic pollution.
Since,2018, about 380 million tons of
plastic is produced worldwide each year.
From the 1950s up to 2018, it has been
estimated that 6.3 billion tons of plastic
has been produced worldwide, of which an
estimated 9% has been recycled and
another 12% has been incinerated [4]. This
large amount of plastic waste inevitably

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 Journal of Advances in Civil Engineering and Management
enters the environment, with studies
suggesting that the bodies of 90% of
seabirds contain plastic debris. In some
areas there have been significant efforts to
reduce the prominence of plastic pollution,
through reducing plastic consumption and
promoting plastic recycling.
Bio-Plastic
Bio-plastic is the universal term for
polymers made of renewable biomass
sources. Traditional plastics which remain
in the environment for 500 to 1000
years[5]. Bio-plastics are made of different
sources of biomass, such as corn starch,
potato starch and cassava starch. These
substances are naturally produced by
plants. Plastics have been incredibly useful
to us in various ways. However, its
overuse has been causing our planet many
environmental problems such as pollution,
degradation and cancer.
Bio-plastics are a large family of different
materials with different properties. Fossil
fuel-derived plastics are non-renewable,
often threaten the environment, and have
declining impacts on marine life and
increase dependence on imported fossil
fuel-based feed stock’s[3]. A plastic
material is defined as bio-plastics if it is
either, bio-based, biodegradable, or
features both properties.
Bio-degradation is a chemical process
during which the tiny organism or
microorganism that is present in the
environment convert materials into natural
substances such as water, carbon dioxide,
and compost that predominantly depends
on the surrounding environmental
conditions. One of the most undeniable
and long-lasting recent changes to our
planet are the accumulation and
fragmentation of plastics. Bio-plastics are
the driving evolution of plastics. They save
fossil resources using biomass which
regenerates and provides the unique
potential of carbon neutrality.
Furthermore, biodegradability is an
additional property of certain types of bio-
plastics.
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Volume 3 Issue 1
The most infamous talk is on plastics
which is causing cancer is one to be noted.
At least some amount of the cancer
population has been affected by plastics.
The chemicals present in them or their
abundant use in an unhealthy way could be
one of the causes. Hence, bio-plastics can
also an alternative healthy solution. Starch
is one of the prime materials used to make
bio-plastics[2].
As, the starch-based bio-plastics made, it
can also be easily prepared on larger scales
with proper manufacturing facilities. It has
a huge range of applications including
biodegradable medical implants computer
and mobile phone casings, foil, molds,
tins, cups, bottles, and packaging devices.
There are no major differences in the cost
scales as in the future the significantly
increasing price of crude oil will make up
for the differences in the production cost.
Its characteristics are similar to those of
the fossil crude oil-derived plastic. One
type of hazard caused by the factory
industry is the intentional or unintentional
dumping of plastic resin pellet. They are
sometimes ingested by seabirds and other
marine organisms, and their adverse
effects on organisms are a concern to the
marine life and the ocean wildlife, thereby
damaging the ecosystem.
OBJECTIVE OF OUR PROJECT
The main objective of our project work is
reducing the carbon footprint in the
atmosphere which is one of the major
problems faced by the environment. To
savings in energy during production. As,
during the production there is large
quantity of energy is released. To reduce
the non bio-degradable waste which
pollute the environment. The main is to
avoid health issues among human beings,
aquatic organisms etc.
SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT
The main scope our project is to replace
plastic to Bio-plastic which will lead an
Eco-friendly environment. It will easily
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 Journal of Advances in Civil Engineering and Management
Bio-degradable in nature in very short
period of time without affecting the soil
properties .It is also used to develop
scaffold for tissue engineering and also
possess numerous applications in
pharmacy and medical science.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
Raising awareness among target groups on
the issue of biodegradable plastics, the
general public as well as industry will be
able to obtain unbiased information on the
issue of sustainability and plastics. Events
aimed at disseminating information on
environmental aspects of plastics.
Improving technology transfer and
knowledge exchange mechanisms in
biodegradable plastics end-user industries.
Improving the access to scientific
knowledge and the use of already existing
knowledge as well as to adapting
knowledge to the requirement of
biodegradable polymer and plastics
producers[1]. This will producers of
traditional plastics the opportunity to enter
into new production methods on the
renewable resources and technologies
made it available through the joint of R&D
Scheme.
MATERIALS USED
Starch
We used starch (potato, corn and cassava)
for our research because these substances
are easily produced in our environment
condition itself. These grocery items are
more favorable to produce in our
surroundings.
Fig.1:-Starch
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Glycerin
Glycerin is a hygroscopic liquid with a
high viscosity. It has hydroxyl groups
which makes it be soluble in water.
Glycerin makes the bio-plastic more
flexible. Glycerin is use as a plasticizer.
Water
Water plays an important role in the
production of bio-plastic. First, it acts as a
solvent to dissolve the starch. Secondly, it
helps the starch molecules to stay
disrupted after heating.
Vinegar
The acetic acid in vinegar helps the starch
to dissolve easily, because it adds ions to
the mixture. Vinegar is a much more
readily available ingredient, which would
be used in a larger scale commercial bio-
plastics operation. Water is used as a
solvent, also to denature the starch. This is
important, because ions react with the
starch polymers and make them be
disordered more easily in the solution.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
We have tried two procedures for making
bio-plastic by using starch.
Method1
STEP 1
Gather the necessary materials. To make
this type of bio-plastic, you will need
starch, water, glycerol, vinegar, a stove, a
beaker, a spatula, and food coloring (if
desired). These items should be readily
available at the grocery store or online.
Glycerol is also called glycerin. The
following amounts of each ingredient are
needed to make the bio-plastic:
1. 15ml water
2. 3ml glycerol
3. 3g starch
4. 4ml of vinegar
5. 1-2 drops food coloring
STEP 2
Combine all of the ingredients and stir
together. Add all of the ingredients to the
saucepan and stir to combine with the
spatula. Stir until you get rid of most of the
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 Journal of Advances in Civil Engineering and Management
lumps in the mixture. At this stage, the
mixture will be a milky white color and
quite watery
STEP3
Heat and Place the beaker on the stove and
set the heat to medium-low. Stir
continuously as the mixture heats. As the
mixture heats, it will become to thicken.
 Remove the mixture from the heat
when it becomes clear and thick.
 Total heating time will be around
10-15 minutes.
 Lumps may begin to form if the
mixture gets overheated.
 Add one-two drops of food
coloring at this stage, if you would like to
color the plastic.
STEP4
Pour the mixture onto foil. Spread the
heated mixture onto a piece of foil or
parchment paper to let it cool. If you
would like to mold the plastic into a shape,
it must be done while it is still warm. See
the last method for details on molding the
plastic.
 Remove any bubbles that you see by
poking them with a toothpick.
STEP 5
Allow the plastic to dry for two to five
days. It will take time for the plastic to dry
and harden. As it cools, it will begin to dry
out. Depending on the thickness of the
plastic, it can take longer for it to dry. If
you make one small thick piece it will take
longer to dry than a thinner larger piece.
 Leave the plastic in a cool, dry place
for this process.
 Check the plastic after two days to see
if it has fully hardened.
Method 2
STEP 1
Gather the necessary materials. To make
the required type of bio-plastic, you will
need starch, water, glycerol, HCL, NAOH
(if needed), a stove, a beaker, a spatula,
and food coloring (if desired). These items
should be readily available at the grocery
store or online. Glycerol is also called
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Volume 3 Issue 1
glycerin. The following amounts of each
ingredient are needed to make the bio-
plastic:
 15ml water
 3ml glycerol
 3g starch
 3ml of HCL
 2ml of NAOH(Optional)
 1-2 drops food coloring
STEP 2
Combine all of the ingredients and stir
together. Add all of the ingredients to the
saucepan and stir continuously till it
combines with the spatula. Stir until you
get rid of most of the lumps in the mixture.
At this stage, the mixture will be a milky
white color and quite watery.
STEP 3
Heat and Place the beaker on the stove and
set the heat to medium-low. Stir
continuously as the mixture heats. As the
mixture heats, it will become to thicken.
 Remove the mixture from the heat
when it becomes clear and thick.
 Total heating time will be around 10-
15 minutes.
 Lumps may begin to form if the
mixture gets overheated.
 Add one-two drops of food coloring at
this stage, if you would like to color
the plastic.
STEP4
Pour the mixture onto foil. Spread the
heated mixture onto a piece of foil or
parchment paper to let it cool. If you
would like to mold the plastic into a shape,
it must be done while it is still warm. See
the last method for details on molding the
plastic.
 Remove any bubbles that you see by
poking them with a toothpick.
STEP 5
Allow the plastic to dry for two to five
days. It will take time for the plastic to dry
and harden. As it cools, it will begin to dry
out. Depending on the thickness of the
plastic, it can take longer for it to dry. If
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 Journal of Advances in Civil Engineering and Management
you make one small thick piece it will take
longer to dry than a thinner larger piece.
 Leave the plastic in a cool, dry place
for this process.
 Check the plastic after two days to see
if it has fully hardened.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Bio-plastics are a revolution in the green
plastic world. The property of
biodegradability is what makes them
unique and separates them from the rest of
the plastics. They certainly would not
cause any pollution as their composition is
completely from bio-masses and do not
contain any toxins.
It could be the next big thing that could
actually help in a healthy cancer free and
pollution-free environment. They would
certainly not damage any marine life as
they are composed of bio-masses.
Hence, bio-plastics could perfectly fit in
the void and can be viewed as a healthy
solution. It is derived from edible and
natural bio-masses which possibly could
not cause any harm to the body. It has been
found in numerous studies that bio-plastics
do not cause any health problems
primarily. The chances of cancer have a
very small probability, and this would
eventually reduce the risk of cancer as
opposed to plastics which have known to
cause various types of cancer. Therefore,
bio-plastics could easily make an
impending impact in many ways that we
could not even imagine.
Bio-plastics or in the other word green
plastic it was obtained in a span of 2 days.
The materials that were used could be
available in the household easily. Its
production does not need any higher
supervision and it can be make with the
simplest and affordable facilities. Bio-
plastics are still in their juvenile stage with
very few market players operating in this
segment. With the approval from higher
authorities and proper facilities, bio-
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Volume 3 Issue 1
plastics can be manufactured and
processed in larger quantities. The cost and
margins can be made available and
affordable to all the classes in the society
by minimizing the packaging charges.
Bio-plastics can either be made into a
sheet or a mold into any shape with a little
bit of difference in the duration. They can
be made in various colors and it has an
esthetic look for the consumers to buy.
They can also be held responsible for
safety when the children play with them
and unintentionally make oral contact, as
they do not cause any harm since they are
purely bio-based.
They could be manufactured on a larger
scale production if the facilities are
available and based on the materials and
the methods it could said that the cost of
manufacturing will be relatively cheap.
The cost of production is moderate and
relatively easy. Well over a third of
consumption is in packaging applications
and if the margins on the packaging can be
reduced, the processing will be made
easier. The total amount of plastic waste
arising every year is estimated to be 5.9
million tones. All these plastics are
dumped intentionally or unintentionally
and cause major environmental hazards.
They are not biodegradable and harm the
ecosystem. Bio-plastics do not cause any
environmental and health hazards and are
eco-friendly.
However, lightweight and durable, plastics
have become a main causative of
environmental pollution, thus bio-plastics
can be used in the place of synthetic
plastics. The physical properties of bio-
plastics such as the molecular weight,
dimensions, thickness, tensile elasticity,
firmness, and temperature are much
suitable than petroleum-based plastics. We
have tested three tests on the bio-plastic.
As we experimented bio-plastic using
potato starch wasn’t good enough for any
of the suitable test.
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 Journal of Advances in Civil Engineering and Management
Volume 3 Issue 1

Table 1:-Tensile Test So, cassava is considered as best for

SI.NO SAMPLE
THICKNESS WEIGHT making application.
(MM) WITHSTAND
1 CORN 3 1.5 KG
2 CASSAVA 3 1.8 KG REFERENCE
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THICKNESS DIFFUSION Trans R Soc B 2009; 364: 1977-84p
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Fig.2:-Composting 7. ‘Starch based Bioplastic
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CONCLUSION bioplasticsonline.net Archived from
It can be concluded that this article is to the original on August 14, 2011 Cited
create awareness on the waste materials by 9.
such as vegetable wastes and other organic 8. Sherman, Lilli Manolis (1 July 2008).
materials that are being dumped as "Enhancing biopolymers: additives are
unwanted that can be regenerated as useful needed for toughness, heat resistance
bio-plastics with a lot of applications in & process ability". Plastics
various industries and can make a huge Technology. Archived from the
change in the environment and health. original on 17 April 2016.
Comparing the bio-plastic made from
starch (corn and cassava), cassava gives
more suitable result in the above test.

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