Utilisation of Waste Banana Peels for the Preparation of Environment Friendly Bio-plastic Film: A Preliminary Study
1Jangra, Mukesh R, and 1 Nehra, K.S.
2Deepika, and 1Dhankhar, Komal
1Sanju, 1Ritu, and 1Rani, Sweety
1 Sharma, Anshul and 1Rani, Pooja
1Department of Biotechnology, 2Deparment of Botany,
Government College, Hisar Haryana.
Abstract
Plastics, which are dumped in landfills and disintegrate very slowly, are one of the main drivers of land pollution. Because of this, biodegradable and biocompatible polymers are currently increasing importance in both fundamental and practical research domains across the globe. Plastics made from renewable biomass sources, such as food scraps and agricultural byproducts, are known as bioplastics. Transparent, adaptable, strong, excellent as a barrier, and heat resistant, bioplastic is also. We carried out a study in the Biotechnology department of the Govt College in Hisar, Haryana, keeping all these issues in mind. In this study, we used leftover banana peels and turned them into a bioplastic film by treating them with acid and alkali. Successful production of bioplastic sheets from a mixture of banana peel and industrial maize starch was done. At 4% maize starch content, the films were able to offer tensile strength with a maximum value of 3.50 n. The hydrophilic properties of starch molecules increased the water intake for all of the bioplastic films by more than 50%, according to the water absorption test. It was discovered during a biodegradability test that all of the bioplastic films disintegrate within a week. It is advised to carry out additional experiments in the future to improve the performance of the film, particularly in terms of mechanical characteristics and FTIR studies, as this is only a preliminary study. For better and more environmentally friendly outcomes, more and more waste peels, such as fruit and vegetable peels can be examined.
Keywords: Banana, Bioplastic, Environment, Films, Waste.
Impact Statement
The goal of the research was to lessen environmental pollution and waste. A biodegradable and environmentally beneficial replacement for traditional plastics is banana peel bioplastic. The primary benefit of using bioplastics over traditional plastic is that they breakdown in the environment without polluting it. Bioplastics are plastics that can decompose spontaneously or are produced from renewable resources. The first plastic ever created by humans was a bioplastic. Utilising bioplastics can help manufacturers diversify their feedstocks, enhance industry sustainability, and lessen their dependency on fossil fuels. Furthermore, biobased polymers improve a product’s carbon footprint while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Enhancements to end-of-life situations for recycling and disposal are possible with biodegradable polymers. This might make it easier on the environment and our current waste management methods.
Author’s Profile
Dr. Mukesh R. Jangra is Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology, Government PG College, Hisar. She has teaching and research experience of more than 7 years. Dr. Jangra earned her Ph.D. in the field of Microbial Biotechnology from the Department of Molecular Biology, Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. Her research interests include Microbial Biotechnology and Bioinformatics. She has published more than 25 research articles in national and international journals. She has attended more than 20 national and international conferences/symposiums/seminars. She has presented five research papers at international conferences in different places. She has already published a practical manual for undergraduate students of biotechnology.
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2819-4647
Dr. Kaur Singh Nehra is Associate Professor & Head of the Department of Biotechnology, Government PG College, Hisar, and is having a teaching experience of more than 20 years. He received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Department of Biochemistry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. His major research interests are Biochemistry, Microbial Biotechnology, and Plant Tissue culture. Dr. Nehra has published more than 20 research papers in reputed national and international journals. He is also member of board of studies at Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (since 2008) and Guru Jambeshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar (since 2017). He performs the role of subject expert in practical examinations and selection of Assistant Professors in various colleges. He has also attended several national and international meetings, refresher courses, and workshops. He has also published a practical manual for biotechnology undergraduate students.
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8597-7579
Dr. Deepika is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany, Government PG College, Hisar since 2016. She received her Master’s and Doctorate in Botany from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. She has worked on reproductive biology, plant tissue culture, and plant physiology. Dr. Deepika has published more than 15 research articles in various national and international journals.
Sanju, Ritu, Sweety Rani, Anshul Sharma, Komal Dhankhar and Pooja Rani were students of B.Sc. Biotech Final year Govt College, Hisar.
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