Bioplastics
Future of Bioplastics - Using Sustainable Raw Materials
As the prefix suggests, Bio-plastic is an eco-friendly plastic made from plant or other biological material and is emerging as a potential alternative to plastic.
Cellophane, as it was called, was the well-known brand used for packaging and inserts for envelopes, and its mass production was carried out back then in 1923. Initially, the application of bioplastics was substituted by mineral oil-based plastics that commonly trash oceans with toxins, but its use declined as soon as people realized the environmental impact of plastic and related material.
The use of bioplastic marked its comeback when environmental awareness regard to sustainability and resource conservation grew. At present, a handful of new patented and ready to use bioplastics are approaching markets for being an eco-friendly solution.
The components of new bioplastics include polylactides (PLA), cellulose acetate, and thermoplastic starch (TPS), trials are being performed for biobased polyethylene (Bio-PE), polypropylene (Bio-PP) and other plastics.
Further, impurities are caused by old pipes in our own house, which cannot be inspected by the waterworks.
Bioplastics
Decomposition of plastics
The use of plastic is ceaselessly increasing for the last 10 years, and our dependence on plastic bags, PET bottles, and other petrochemical products of the plastics industry is growing faster than ever.
We dispose of tons of garbage every day, and a little of it can be recycled, thus overburdening the earth with waste. It is gradually causing a threat to the ecosystem. For instance: It takes almost 8 human lives (up to 600 years) to dismantle a fishing line.
Development of microplasty
What are lactic acid biopolymers?
Polylactic
acid (PLA) is a synthetic polymer, which is produced through the direct
condensation of chemically bonded lactic acid molecules and the reaction of its
monomer. For the production of heat and water-resistant raw PLA, it requires
preparation and addition of various additives and other raw bioplastics. PLA
displays properties of fine polymer and is an epitome of sustainability, which
makes it fit for application for textile products, medical technology, and
packaging industry for catering and office supplies.
For
biomedical applications, such as dialysis media, sutures, stents, and drug
delivery devices, it is a perfect fit. Since the human body is capable of
degrading PLA, implants, stents, and sutures can be used and kept in the body
for several months. Also, as it degrades over a period of time, it eliminates
the need for an additional operation to remove implants or sutures. Offering a
handful of application possibilities, the demand for PLA is readily
increasing.
PLA is biocompatible,
biodegradable, and renewable thermoplastic polyester. PLA
is known for its eco-friendliness as it is produced using renewable
agricultural sources.
What does it mean by the term “biodegradable”?
Polylactide
(PLA) is a natural, biodegradable organic substance that can not be found in
nature in its pure form and need to be prepared industrially from sugar by a
multi-stage synthesis process. Lactic acid polymerization includes fermentation
of sugar to lactic acid and is polymerized to PLA. When it comes to the
decomposition of the biopolymer under normal conditions, these organic products
can be degraded completely within a predictable period. In order to accelerate
the process, additional microorganisms can be used for industrial composting.
What is biocompatibility?
Keeping
environmental aspects in view, we are always at risk of consuming products that
can negatively affect our health. Hence, we should make sure that our food
should not come in contact with harmful substances or pollutants. It’s been
known for long that hormonally active substances escape the treatment process
and can present in the water we drink, thus posing a health risk.
Biocompatible
materials are natural or synthetic material that produces no side effect or
negative influence on living beings in that environment.
Our
filters not only eliminate the need to carry water bottles from supermarkets
but will also cut down on the pollutants that plastic bottles exude.