SWEET POTATO (IPOMEA PATATAS) AND JICAMA
(PACHYRHIZUS EROSUS) STARCH IN MAKING BIOPLASTIC
MATERIAL
A Science Investigatory Project
Presented to
TALUMPOK INTEGRATED SCHOOL
As a requirement in science
Candor,Noel Ivan B.
Dimaano,Jhoan Pauline S.
Furto,Czarina Alexa M.
Gabani,Ashley C.
Lontok,Kathleen P.
Malaluan,Aaron Daniel D.
Manalo,Lionel L.
Ramirez,John Benedict G.
2022
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
The environment is a key factor in healthy living and the sustenance of life on Earth. The
Earth is a home for various living species, and we are all reliant on it for food, air, water, and other
necessities. The environment consists of physical, chemical, and biological elements that affect an
organism's survival. Furthermore, "environment" pertains to all the factors and influences that
affect the life and development of organisms. Because of the environment, life evolved and
flourished on Earth. Every organism influences its environment and is influenced by it. We are a
fundamental part of the environment. As a result, it is crucial for each of us to protect and maintain
our environment. However, several issues are disrupting the ecosystem of the environment, which
leads to damaging life beings.
However, there are various issues affecting the environment which reflect human activities.
These activities are brought about by globalization and technology-driven minds. For instance, the
widespread use of plastic pollutes the ecology. Pollution, environmental degradation, resource
depletion, and climate change are the major environmental concerns. Furthermore, there are a lot
of other environmental issues that must be addressed. The increased global demand for plastic
materials results in huge plastic waste leakage, particularly in terrestrial and marine habitats.
According to IUCN Organization the study conducted in the year 2021. Every year, over 300
million tons of plastic are produced, half of which is used in single-used goods such as shopping
bags, cups, and straws. When plastic waste is discarded carelessly, it can affect the ecosystems and
biodiversity. At least 14 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. Plastic materials have
a great impact on the environment since they take a long time to degrade. With the problems in
plastics, the researchers were motivated to make bioplastic material by combining sweet potato
and jicama starch.
According to Constantino,2018 in the Philippines, the plastics industry is not only vital to the
national economy (contributing US$2.3 billion in 2018), but plastics also provide low-cost
consumer goods to poor and middle-income families. However, a high dependence on single-use
plastics like multilayer sachets and pouches has led the Philippines to become a “sachet economy”
that continues to worsen the alarming levels of marine plastic pollution in the region. By some
estimates, the Philippines consumes a staggering 163 million pieces of sachets every day., who
spearheads the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) global campaign in the Philippines to stop
the flow of plastics into nature by 2030, agreed that the lack of waste disposal facilities is one of
the main causes of plastic pollution in the country. Poorly resourced municipal governments are
the reason for this.
Conventional plastics made from petroleum, bioplastics are derived from renewable biomass
sources such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food
waste, etc. Many types of bioplastics offer the same qualities as conventional plastics like
durability, flexibility, etc. while also being a more sustainable product. By definition, the term
"bioplastic" can be used to describe any type of plastic that is made predominantly from renewable
organic ingredients, such corn starch. Milk, tapioca, and vegetable fats are additional sources of
biomass. Bioplastics provide us ecological advantages that can help us lessen ecosystem damage
and minimize our energy footprint, in contrast to conventional plastics, which are produced by
distilling and polymerizing non-renewable petroleum reserves.
Therefore,the researchers decided to produce a bioplastic material out of starch as
bioplastic and compare them to commercially available synthetic plastic in terms of tensile strength
and biodegradability to determine if it can be an alternative.
Statement of the problem
This study aims to produce a bioplastic material out of jicama and sweet potato starch
as an alternative for synthetic plastics.
Specifically,
1.To determine which ratio of ingredients is effective in producing an alternative bioplastic
material.
2.To compare the produced bioplastic material to other available plastics in market,in terms
of:
2.1 durability
2.2 production of smoke when burned
2.3 tensile strength
Scope and limitations of the study
Significance of the study
This study is deemed significant as this will provide a new perspective on reducing fossil
fuel usage, plastic waste, and carbon dioxide emissions of traditional resins. Bioplastic made from
the starch of vegetables like sweet potatoes will decrease dependency on petroleum and waste.
Moreover, the study will give plastic manufacturers ideas to create plastics made from organic
materials to combat the usage of harmful chemicals in making plastics. Similarly, future
researchers may use the result of this study to further analyze the feasibility of using starch-rich
vegetables in creating bioplastics to promote environment-friendly plastics in future generations.
Also, this will help the environmental restoration and a balanced ecosystem.
To the environment bioplastics produce significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions
than traditional plastics over their lifetime. There is no net increase in carbon dioxide when they
break down because the plants that bioplastics are made from absorbed that same amount of
carbon dioxide as they grew.
To the plastic manufacturer the often-cited advantages of bioplastic are reduced use of
fossil fuel resources, a smaller carbon footprint, and faster decomposition. Bioplastic is also less
toxic and does not contain bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone disrupter that is often found in
traditional plastics.
To the community this study will help them to provide excellent biodegradability, helpin
the world deal with the increasing problems of litter, particularly in the world's rivers and seas.
Durable plant-based bioplastics can also be recycled as well as their conventional equivalents,
assisting the growth of a more sustainable world economy.Even more, biobased plastics reduce
dependence on fossil resources whilst improving a product's carbon footprint. Biodegradable
plastics allow enhanced end-of-life scenarios for disposal and recycling. This may lessen the
burden on our existing waste systems and also the environment.
To the consumer the study help them using bioplastics can reduce the carbon footprint by
adding fewer greenhouse gases to the ecosystem. In addition, bioplastics can create more jobs than
conventional plastics and foster environmental sustainability, as they are produced from plant
biomass, which is renewable and compostable.Bioplastics are considered to be sustainable,
environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics. With the growing demand and use
of plastics in the industry.
To the future researchers this study will help them to investigate the contribution of
biodegradable plastics to sustainability in a new and sustainable plastics economy, in which
plastics perform their useful function without causing negative externalities. Biodegradable
plastics are those that degrade naturally over time. With research carried out across three diverse
sustainability principles using the triple bottom line method, a multi-disciplinary strategy is a one-
of-a-kind approach (social attitudes, environmental consequences, and economic characteristics).
Research Design
This study will utilize an experimental research design which according to Akhtar (2016),
an experimental research design that tests the cause-effect relationship in a controlled location.
Usually, experimental design is characterized by the manipulation of an independent variable
that influences the dependent variable.Experimental design is the key to discovering how sweet
potato and jicama can act as substitute materials to make a variable type of bioplastic that can be
used for different purposes.
Materials
A. Reagents
Citric acid - acts as a crosslinker and plasticizer, where the increased concentration of citric acid
will increase the ability as a plasticizer, it can reduce interaction between macromolecules,
consequently, it weakens the bonds between molecules, so that bioplastic films will be more easily
degraded by microorganisms.
Gelatin - It acts as a binding material for our mixture as well as a hardening component. It also
provides translucency to the piece.
Glycerin - It acts as a plasticizer; a substance added to promote plasticity and flexibility and reduce
brittleness.
Water - It acts as a solvent that dissolves the starch in the sweet potato.
Sweet Potato and Jicama - The resulting starches from these vegetables will be the biopolymer for
the plastic.
B.Apparatus
• Knife
• Chopping Board
• Grater
• Container
• Strainer
• Pot
Procedure
In preparation of the bioplastic film, sweet potato and jicama starch will be extracted in the
laboratory. The glycerin, citric acid, and gelatin will be used as a plasticizer.
1. Peel the jicama and sweet potato and discard the peel.
2. Grate the Jicama and Sweet potato into a container.
3. Pour the contents of the container into a strainer. Pour the liquid into two other containers.
4. Leave the mixture until the starch settle.
5. After settling, pour the liquid into another container.
6. Let it dry.
7. In a container, add 1 tablespoon of starch,1/4 cup of water,1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1
teaspoon of glycerin.
8. Mix well before pouring into a pan. Continuously stir the mixture until bubbles appear.
9. Pour the mixture into a flat container and flatten it.
10. Let it dry until not sticky.
11. Peel it out of the container.
12.Measure the soil biodegradability and tensile strength of the resulting bioplastic and a store-
bought plastic burying it in soil and using a spring balance respectively.
13. Compare the data to each other and an existing plastic standard.
1. Preparation of Bioplastics
Film The bioplastic film will be prepared according to the following procedure:
1. The starch, glycerol, gelatin, and citric acid will be added to 100 mL of distilled water in various
ratios.
2. The mixture will be stirred for 10 minutes.
3. Then, the mixture will be heated on a hot plate at 100 °C, and manual stirring will be done for
70 min, continuously.
4. It will be poured onto a Teflon-coated glass plate and spread uniformly. It will take 3–4 days
for the mixture to dry out and the cast film will be removed.
5. Then, three samples were prepared for different compositions of sweet potato and starch.
2.. Tests to be administered
a. Tensile Test – this is the resistance to lengthwise stress, measured by the greatest load in weight
per unit area pulling in the direction of length that a given substance can bear without tearing apart.
b. Biodegradability Test - measures the complex biochemical process that occurs when
microorganisms consume a given type of material. This will utilize the Soil Burial test.
3.Tets to be administered
I.
A. Tensile Test
This is the resistance to lengthwise stress,measured by the greatest load in weight per unit
area pulling in the direction of length that a given substance can bear without tearing apart.
B.Biodegradability Test
Measures the complex biochemical process that occurs when microorganism consume a
given type of material.This will utilize the Soil Burial test.
II .Ratio
Sweet Jicama Glycerin Citric acid Gelatin Water
Sample potato strach
strach
Mass in grams
A.(50:50) 5 5 3 1 2 100
B.(60:40) 6 4 3 1 2 100
C.(70:30) 7 3 3 1 2 100
