CHAPTER I
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However, recycling alone is not the optimal solution for addressing plastic pollution. In fact,
there has been a pursuit for alternative approaches, notably the development of biodegradable
plastics capable of decomposing more rapidly than conventional synthetic counterparts. This
quest aims to mitigate the environmental impact of plastics by introducing materials that break
down more efficiently, potentially reducing pollution and waste accumulation (Rajpoot et al.,
2022).
2 Bioplastics
2.1
Definition
Bioplastics refer to materials derived from biomass sources such as vegetable fats and oils,
corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, and recycled food waste. These materials can be
categorized as biodegradable, bio-based, or a combination of both. Biodegradable bioplastics
undergo decomposition in aqueous environments due to bacterial activity. This degradation
process ultimately results in the formation of CO₂ and H₂O under aerobic conditions, and CO₂
and CH₄ under anaerobic conditions (Censi et al., 2022). Bioplastics are made entirely or
partially from biomass-based sources. (Naser et al., 2021).
2.2 Types
Some examples of bioplastics are: poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs), poly (ε-caprolactone)
(PCL), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), and poly (ethylene succinate)
(PES), poly(glycolic acid) (PGA), the copolymer of glycolic acid and lactic acid (PLGA),
(poly(propylene carbonate)) PPC, (poly(furfuryl alcohol)) PFA, chitosan, and protein-based
bioplastics (Censi et al., 2022).
PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are a class of biopolymers, where the most common
representatives are the homopolyesters poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB), poly(4hydroxybutyrate) (P4HB), and, to a lesser extent, poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV), along with
their copolymers poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and poly(3hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHx), medium-chain-length PHAs like PHO
(poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate)) homopolyesters, and their copolymers and blends (Lackner et al.,
2023).
Poly-hydroxy-alkenoates (PHAs) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) are among the most commonly
utilized biopolymers, alongside polypropylene, showing the highest relative growth rate in
industrial production (Naser et al., 2021).
LITTERATURE REVIEW
17
However, recycling alone is not the optimal solution for addressing plastic pollution. In fact,
there has been a pursuit for alternative approaches, notably the development of biodegradable
plastics capable of decomposing more rapidly than conventional synthetic counterparts. This
quest aims to mitigate the environmental impact of plastics by introducing materials that break
down more efficiently, potentially reducing pollution and waste accumulation (Rajpoot et al.,
2022).
2 Bioplastics
2.1
Definition
Bioplastics refer to materials derived from biomass sources such as vegetable fats and oils,
corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, and recycled food waste. These materials can be
categorized as biodegradable, bio-based, or a combination of both. Biodegradable bioplastics
undergo decomposition in aqueous environments due to bacterial activity. This degradation
process ultimately results in the formation of CO₂ and H₂O under aerobic conditions, and CO₂
and CH₄ under anaerobic conditions (Censi et al., 2022). Bioplastics are made entirely or
partially from biomass-based sources. (Naser et al., 2021).
2.2 Types
Some examples of bioplastics are: poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs), poly (ε-caprolactone)
(PCL), poly (butylene succinate) (PBS), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), and poly (ethylene succinate)
(PES), poly(glycolic acid) (PGA), the copolymer of glycolic acid and lactic acid (PLGA),
(poly(propylene carbonate)) PPC, (poly(furfuryl alcohol)) PFA, chitosan, and protein-based
bioplastics (Censi et al., 2022).
PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) are a class of biopolymers, where the most common
representatives are the homopolyesters poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB), poly(4hydroxybutyrate) (P4HB), and, to a lesser extent, poly(3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHV), along with
their copolymers poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and poly(3hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHx), medium-chain-length PHAs like PHO
(poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate)) homopolyesters, and their copolymers and blends (Lackner et al.,
2023).
Poly-hydroxy-alkenoates (PHAs) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) are among the most commonly
utilized biopolymers, alongside polypropylene, showing the highest relative growth rate in
industrial production (Naser et al., 2021).