Capstone Feature: Banana-Based Bioplastics
Banana-based bioplastics can be a brilliant breakthrough in the barrier of biodegradability. Although bananas cannot break walls, they can transform how we use and dispose of plastics.
Most conventional plastics are synthesized using fossil fuels. While they are affordable and versatile, these plastics are non-biodegradable, leading to an accumulation in landfills, oceans, and ecosystems. Moreover, banana production, which amounts to over 114 million metric tons globally, leaves behind a large amount of waste. Approximately 60% of the biomass of bananas, including the peel, is discarded after consumption, contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases during decomposition.
On the other hand, bioplastics are a type of plastic synthesized from renewable biological sources such as plants or algae instead of petroleum-based materials like coal or natural gas. Bioplastics are designed to be more environmentally friendly, as they are often made biodegradable or compostable. In other words, unlike regular plastics, bioplastics can break down naturally over time without leaving harmful residues.
Thus, researchers Jeslyn Gonzaga, Annika Lee, and Sharliz Siy posited banana-based bioplastics as a promising solution to plastic and banana peel waste.
In their capstone project, the group compared two bioplastic formulas, which they called Formula X and Formula Y. Formula X and Y mainly differ in their production process. Formula Y includes dipping the banana peels in acetic acid, while Formula X does not. Additionally, Formula X uses higher concentrations of HCl and NaOH, and only Formula Y incorporates corn starch. The goal was to identify the formula that best balances biodegradability and tensile strength.
After seven weeks, Formula Y showed a higher degradation rate of 21.73% compared to Formula X’s 18.82%, with both significantly outperforming traditional plastics, which showed no degradation. In terms of strength, Formula Y again led with a tensile strength of 0.07125 MPa (a unit measuring force applied per unit area).
Tensile strength measures a material's ability to withstand pulling forces before breaking. It is the maximum stress (force per unit area applied) a material can endure while being stretched or pulled.
“My group mates and I chose our research paper topic mainly on our common interest in making a difference with our research, especially with regard to alleviating the urgent environmental sustainability concern in our own simple way,” said Gonzaga, one of the researchers. “At first, our advisers and teachers advised us to go for another topic, as several alumni have failed in recreating banana peel bioplastics. But despite everything, we believe that though this will not be an easy feat, in our own little way, we can contribute to the body of knowledge towards building a sustainable society for our generation and more to come.”
“Don’t try it,” she added jokingly.
Lauren Lao, the group’s thesis adviser, said, “I don’t [sic] want them to do the experiment. It was doomed to fail, but they proved me wrong in the end.”
In conclusion, banana peel bioplastics can be a viable alternative to conventional plastics, offering an eco-friendly solution to both plastic waste and banana peel disposal. With further research and development, these bioplastics could be key to building a sustainable future. Who knows? Maybe the next time you drink some banana juice, the plastic bottle will be made from it too.
Sources:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xEApSx_xlHndEcpqkd_fAY24mFmEsDPg/view
