Enhancement of Bio-plastic using Eggshells and Chitosan on Potato Starch Based

Norhafezah Kasmuri1 *and Muhammad Safwan Abu Zait2

1,2Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam 40450, Selangor, Malaysia

INTRODUCTION RESULTS AND DISCUSSION CONCLUSION

Tensile Test
Over the years, plastics have served an essential role 1. Eggshells filler into the potato starch-based bioplastic is
towards the lives of individuals due to their properties which able to increase the tensile strength by 4.94%, reduce the
Mechanical Properties
enable a lifestyle that is more efficient, beneficial and water absorption by 10.95% and increase the rate of weight
productive, but the negative effects they bring are beginning to loss in bio- degradability by 21.06% within 20 days.
surface as time passes by. In 2015, the production of these 2. Chitosan filler is able to increase the tensile strength by
materials surpass 300 million tons and a study has found that This test is conducted to determine the 1.28%, reduce water absorption up to 27.59% and increase
shoppers on a worldwide basis, utilize an approximate of 500 mechanical properties of bioplastic on the weight loss in biodegradability by 7.9%.
Tensile Strength (TS) and Young’s Modulus
billion plastic bags every year. If these are to be incinerated to (YM). In this test, ASTMD638-77 will be
3. Eggshells and Chitosan fillers improves the mechanical
hasten the decomposition process, they would release lethal used as the standard method to determine properties of bioplastic in terms of tensile strength, water
the mechanical properties of bioplastic
gases which would take a negative toll in the health of absorption and weight loss in bio- degradability.
numerous organisms.
Food waste is also a problem which concerns multiple
In Figure 10, the graph indicates that potato starch with the addition of eggshells filler able to
aspects of society since it is said that there is still no said
method to dispose these materials so they have gradually piled
Water Adsorption Test cater greater load compared to others. Meanwhile, potato starch-based bioplastic with the addition
of eggshells and chitosan filler indicate the lowest value in Young Modulus and tensile strength. RECOMMENDATION
Therefore, to increase the strength of bioplastic, the consideration amount of glycerol should be
up in a number of countries globally. reconsidered again in order to accommodate the amount of filler such as potato starch, eggshells, 1. Look for another fillers for bioplastics other than eggshells and
The main objective of this research is to produce a and chitosan.
chitosan.
bioplastic which can promote an efficient solution to diminish 2. Determine the factors affecting the mechanical properties of
Water Adsorption Result bioplastics.
the number of plastic and organic waste in the long term run
3. Compare other agricultural wastes’s properties other than potato starch
since it is foreseen to be the best alternative towards the as a component of bioplastics.
minimization of solid waste management in multiple countries. 4. Lastly, investigate other parameters like chemical resistance.

METHODS AND MATERIALS Fig. 5: The bioplastic is being immersed in the distilled water REFERENCES
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A B A B addition of eggshells filler into potato starchbased bioplastic shows that it has slowed down the rate
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Fig. 6: Bioplastics buried under compost soil
Fig. 1: A) The mixture is Fig. 2: The mixture is laid Fig. 3: A) Eggshells after the addition of chitosan into potato starch-based bioplastic also has a good ability to biodegrade
on aluminium foil and under the compost soil with the optimum rate of 78.59%.
stirred, B) The mixture crushed, B) Eggshells
cooled However, in order to accelerate the biodegradation time of potato starch-based bioplastic with
becomes sticky after grinded chitosan filler, the enzymes known as chitinase and chitosanase are needed