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com

Preparation of Bioplastic Films from Pineapple Stem

Starch Reinforced with Natural Plasticizer

Manjudevi Mariappan, Vishnupriya Benaltraja*

Department of Biotechnology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, G.N. Mills,
Coimbatore, 641029, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail address: [email protected]

Abstract
Bioplastics have gained importance among petroleum-based polymers due to their non-
hazardous properties. This study replaced biodegradable starch films manufactured from
pineapple stem waste for non-sustainable petroleum-based films for recyclable applications
with moderately high strength requirements. Starch was extracted from pineapple stem an
agricultural waste. Solvent casting was used to generate starch-based bioplastic films with
varying concentrations of beeswax as a plasticizer.

Keywords: Stem, Starch, Biofilm, Plasticizer, Beeswax

1. Introduction
Plastics are an essential part of modern life because of their unique qualities. These polymers
are diverse and adaptable, which allows for the production of many products that improve
human existence (Patti and Acierno. 2022). As a result, plastic production has increased
dramatically in recent years. The most recent data from associations of plastic manufacturers
was issued in 2019, and it revealed a 368-million-ton rise in plastic production globally (Prata
et al., 2022). Fortunately, they tend to be detrimental to our ecology and the soul of our living
soil due to their long-term survival on Earth and incapacity to biodegrade. (Chathalingath et
al., 2023).
Conventional plastics are man-made materials composed of petroleum-derived polymers that
are strong and eventually break down, depleting resources and contributing significantly to the
accumulation of waste (Sohn et al., 2020). Moreover, burning plastic waste releases a lot of
dangerous chemicals, including carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere, contributing to global
warming. Entanglement, direct absorption of plastic waste, contact with toxins present in
plastics, and disturbances of their biochemical processes can also cause harm to living
organisms, particularly marine ones (Tuuri and Leterme., 2023). Over the years, efforts have
been made to tackle these environmental issues on two different fronts: recycling currently
available plastic items and finding new, ecologically favorable resources to replace
conventional plastics. Khalid et al., 2022). Monomers like ethylene, propylene, and styrene, or
non-renewable resources like petroleum-based raw materials, are used to make synthetic
plastics. (Atiwesh et al., 2021).

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Due to their inability to biodegrade or difficulty to dissolve, synthetic materials are used, which
greatly adds to environmental contamination. (Shogren et al., 2019). Plastic-derived pollutants
and microparticles are ubiquitous in our surroundings, posing a threat to human health and
animal welfare (Ziani et al., 2023). Entanglement, direct absorption of plastic waste, contact
with toxins present in plastics, and disturbances of their biochemical processes can also cause
harm to living organisms, particularly marine ones (Ghaffar et al., 2022). Bioplastics have
arisen as a potential replacement for conventional polymers and their applications. (Moshood
et al., 2022).
One way that people are trying to counteract pollution of the environment caused by plastic
waste is by producing bioplastics. Furthermore, adopting bioplastic can lessen greenhouse gas
emissions indirectly. (Moshood et al., 2022). Bioplastics are a kind of plastic that can be either
1) biodegradable or 2) non-biodegradable yet derived from renewable or biological resources
(Mangal et al., 2023). On the other hand, materials that are "biodegradable" are those that
decompose quickly, may be composted, and can turn almost completely into harmless trash in
a few months. The kind of raw materials used, how concentrated they are, and the burial
environment all affect how rapidly bioplastic breaks down (Zoungranan et al., 2020).
Further investigators are using bioplastic for preparation-related studies. When disposed of in
a recyclable manner, bioplastics—which are made entirely of renewable resources—are
quickly absorbed by the environment as carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. While
biodegradability is frequently associated with materials derived from biological sources, the
polymer's chemical makeup is the only factor that influences it (Tyagi et al., 2022). The
necessity for food products with controlled quality and prolonged shelf life from retailers and
consumers has led to the development of active and intelligent food packaging films in recent
years. The corn plant is the world's main supplier of commercial starches, accounting for about
85% of all starches (Vilpoux and Junior., 2023). Other plants, like potatoes, rice, and wheat,
are also significant producers of native starch, albeit their share of the world's total starch output
is relatively small (Junejo et al., 2022).
Biodegradable plastics are made from biopolymers, such as proteins, cellulose, and starch, that
are extracted from biomass directly or by modification. Biodegradable polymers are created
using protein, chitosan, cellulose, and starch obtained from sustainable biomass (Marichelvam
et al., 2019). The usage of starch-based biodegradable polymers is limited by their water
sensitivity, high moisture permeability, and production of films with mechanical characteristics
that are unsuitable for many applications. This underscores the need for modifications to
enhance these attributes (Zhang et al., 2022). In the bioplastic market, starch-based polymers
make up almost half of the products. Plastic takes a long time to break down, therefore pollution
from plastic can have a detrimental effect on lands, streams, and oceans.
One of Thailand's most significant industrial fruit crops, pineapple yields about 1.67 million
tons of fruit annually. Increased pineapple production thus results in a consistent annual waste
output. After they are collected, pineapple stems and leaves are regarded as agricultural waste
(Sarangi et al., 2023). Most of this trash has no obvious use and might be disposed of
improperly, which poses serious risks to the environment. Making use of agricultural waste
from pineapple stems is essential for improving sustainability, economics, and maybe raising
the value of items used in the production of food and medicine (Gupta., 2022).

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Pineapple stem starch is a unique alternative for making films that are water-resistant because
of its properties. These coatings can be used to extend the shelf life and postpone ripening of
fruits and vegetables. A good source of resistant and thermoplastic starch for both culinary and
non-food uses is pineapple stem starch (Namphonsane et al., 2023). Pineapple plant stems
contain a high concentration of starch, which may be processed to produce items of additional
value, such as amino acids. The food, pharmaceutical, paper, cosmetic, and other industries can
all benefit from the use of native starches (Chu et al., 2021). The cellulose envelope, soluble
fractions, protein, starch, and other plant components like lignocellulosic material, which is
present in the stem or basal stem of pineapple plants are separated by the starch industry. The
industrial tools are typically devoted to a particular raw material, and the manufacturing
processes are unique to each factory. Typically, starch is utilized in its original state, having
been purified through extraction from raw materials. But through physical, chemical,
enzymatic, or genetic modifications, changes to the natural starch referred to as modified starch
can be made to achieve specific qualities or improved starch attributes (Olawoye et al., 2023).
Nevertheless, no research on the creation of bioplastic film using beeswax as a plasticizer has
been published. In this study, biodegradable film was produced using pineapple stem starch
and beeswax as a natural plasticizer.

2. Methodology

2.1 Starch extraction

Pineapple stem starch was obtained from Attapadi, Mannarkad, Kerala. The starch was
extracted using a modified Schoch and Maywald (1968) method. The pineapple stem was
surface sterilized with tween 20 and washed thoroughly with distilled water and cut into small
pieces. In a mechanical blender, pineapple stems were ground until very fine in a sodium
bisulfite solution. The crushed bulk was filtered using cotton cloth. The starch suspension was
decanted at room temperature for 30 minutes before being washed several times with sodium
bisulfite solution and centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes at 25 °C. The pellet obtained was
kept at 50o C for 24 hrs. The dried Pineapple stem starch was stored at room temperature for
further studies.

2.2 Bioplastic film formation

Bioplastic film was prepared with starch powder, beeswax as plasticizer and distilled water by
solvent casting method. 1g of starch powder, (0.5-2g) of various concentration of beeswax and
20 mL of distilled water were added into the beaker and heated with constantly stirring using
magnetic stirrer until the mixture to gelatinize at approximately 70ºC. The solution was poured
into a Petri plate and dried at 500C.

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3. Result and Discussion

Starch was extracted from Pineapple stem with the common extraction technique (Fig 1). The
stem starch has unique and distinct properties. Pineapple stem starch has unique and distinct
properties when compared to the commercial starches. Under normal cooking condition, it has
the lowest paste viscosity. These potentially beneficial characteristics make pineapple stem
starch a good source of resistant and thermoplastic starch for food and non-food applications.

Fig 1: a) Pineapple stem b) Pineapple stem extract c) Pineapple stem starch powder
Beeswax was used as a natural plasticizer to successfully generate the bioplastic film. The
elasticity of the bioplastic sheet increases with a rise in plasticizer concentration. It seemed
appropriate for using a higher concentration of plasticizer.

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Fig 4: Bioplastic formation with different concentration of

plasticizer (0.5,1.0,1.5 and 2.0 μL)

Conclusion
Without using any chemicals or other modifications, water-resistant and biodegradable flexible
films were successfully prepared from pineapple stem starch with Beeswax as natural
plasticizer. Pineapple stem starch films can be made with the least number of associated
materials and energy intensities. The mechanical properties of the film were high,
hydrophobicity and good thermal stability. The films can completely dissolve in the natural
environment in a couple of weeks and all of the compounds are biobased. This bioplastic film
we had produced can be used as an alternative to conventional plastic.

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Acknowledgments
All the authors would like to thank PG and Research Department of Biotechnology, Kongunadu
Arts and Science College and DST-FIST for supporting all the laboratory facilities.

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