Published Paper Details:

Abstract: Alarming rate of environmental pollution caused by single-use plastics has necessitated the search for developing sustainable yet, cost-effective alternatives. Bio-based plastics made from renewable resources resolve this issue to a great extent. This study aimed to develop bioplastic films using potato peel as a low-cost starch source. The formulated films' were characterized using physical, chemical and biodegradable parameters. The developed bioplastic film showed a thickness of 0.107mm, water absorption percentage of 73.61%, swelling percentage of 5.98%, water solubility of 49.16%, and film transparency of 8.74. Whereas in case of chemical resistance the exposure of different solvents for 48h lead to change in properties of film including change in dimension, absorption of liquid, softness or brittleness of material and colour change from dark to light with NaOH, 0.1N HCL, 50% ethanol, 0.1N NaCl reagents, respectively. Biodegradability of films was demonstrated through soil burial method conducted for a month and the weight of the biofilm was observed to decrease almost 10.2%. Bioplastic films developed in this study using low-cost potato peel as a starch source have displayed properties with potential use in day-to-day life and remarkable application in the industrial sector.