Biodegradable Plastic from Different Fruit and Vegetable Peels
Abstract
Traditional plastics' pervasive environmental challenges have underscored the urgent need for sustainable alternatives. Biodegradable plastics offer a promising solution to mitigate pollution and ecological damage. This study explores the feasibility of utilizing fruit peels as a renewable source for producing biodegradable plastic. Fruit and vegetable peels, including oranges, bananas, and potatoes, were collected from household resources and local juice bars. These peels were pretreated and ground into a fine powder. Further optimization of the ingredients was conducted. Orange peel powder in combination with arrowroot starch showed potential for bioplastic production. Bioplastics showed a tensile strength of 4.16x10^ -9 N/m2 (the conventional plastic exhibits a lower value of 2.5x10^-10 N/m2). Rapid degradation of bioplastics made during this study under 35 days in soil and water, coupled with a lower carbon footprint of 2.2 g/ml, further justifies its eco-friendly and sustainable nature. Utilization of peels in the preparation of bioplastic minimizes waste, ultimately reducing plastic pollution and providing an eco-friendly solution to mitigating the impact of conventional plastic on our ecosystem.