TY - JOUR
T1 - Synthesis of Renewable and Cost-Effective Bioplastic from Apple Waste
T2 - Physicochemical and Biodegradability Studies
AU - Loh, Nicholas Yung Li
AU - Pang, Hui Ying
AU - Tee, Wan Ting
AU - Hiew, Billie Yan Zhang
AU - Hanson, Svenja
AU - Chong, Siewhui
AU - Thangalazhy-Gopakumar, Suchithra
AU - Gan, Suyin
AU - Lee, Lai Yee
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (Grant No. FRGS/1/2020/STG05/UNIM/02/2).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - The production and disposal of plastics have become a major global concern owing to its non-biodegradable properties in the environment. The recycling of apple biowaste as a value-added bioplastic precursor offers a solution to this waste disposal issue. In this study, readily available apple waste was converted into bioplastic through the delignification of cellulose cum reinforcement by nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) extracted from the biowaste. The results indicated that the inclusion of apple waste and delignification effect had improved the bioplastic storage modulus (0.42–4.23 MPa) and brittleness in terms of hardness (5.22–0.51 kg). Morphological analysis revealed that the NCC had an average size of 70 nm and was homogeneously blended within the bioplastic matrix. The integration of the apple waste into the bioplastic promoted biodegradability, evident from the maximum weight loss of 58.1% after 4 weeks of biodegradation test, thus presenting a novel and alternative biodegradable plastic. The obtained results support apple waste as a potential filler for bioplastic development in food packaging, medical implants, 3D printing and water bottles. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
AB - The production and disposal of plastics have become a major global concern owing to its non-biodegradable properties in the environment. The recycling of apple biowaste as a value-added bioplastic precursor offers a solution to this waste disposal issue. In this study, readily available apple waste was converted into bioplastic through the delignification of cellulose cum reinforcement by nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) extracted from the biowaste. The results indicated that the inclusion of apple waste and delignification effect had improved the bioplastic storage modulus (0.42–4.23 MPa) and brittleness in terms of hardness (5.22–0.51 kg). Morphological analysis revealed that the NCC had an average size of 70 nm and was homogeneously blended within the bioplastic matrix. The integration of the apple waste into the bioplastic promoted biodegradability, evident from the maximum weight loss of 58.1% after 4 weeks of biodegradation test, thus presenting a novel and alternative biodegradable plastic. The obtained results support apple waste as a potential filler for bioplastic development in food packaging, medical implants, 3D printing and water bottles. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
KW - Agricultural biowaste
KW - Biodegradable
KW - Bioplastic
KW - Ecologically friendly
KW - Nanocrystalline cellulose
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144312106&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12649-022-01983-8
DO - 10.1007/s12649-022-01983-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85144312106
SN - 1877-2641
VL - 14
SP - 3235
EP - 3252
JO - Waste and Biomass Valorization
JF - Waste and Biomass Valorization
IS - 10
ER -