Identificación de la concentración óptima de almidón de malanga (Colocasia esculenta) en la producción de un biopolímero

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify the optimal concentration of taro starch (Colocasia esculenta) to produce biopolymers. The starch was extracted using the Brenda method, using the experimental design 22, RPM (high and low) was used as an independent variable the rpm (High and Low) and the time of crushing the extract (45 and 60 seconds). Brenda's extraction method consisted of washing the raw material, peeling it and cutting it into pieces, grinding it, filtering the extract obtained, letting it decant for 24 hours and finally letting it dry to sift. Upon completion, the starch was characterized by determining the pH, solubility index, moisture, ash, gelatinization temperature, density, viscosity, fibre, protein, total carbohydrates, amylose, amylopectin, and its microbiological analysis. Subsequently, biopolymers were produced by experimental design 22. The concentration of starch (2 and 3 g) and glycerine (0.5 and 1 ml) were used as variables in addition to distilled water 40 ml and acetic acid 7 ml. Four treatments were obtained, in which physicochemical tests, traction analysis and biodegradability time were performed on each of them. Analysing the obtained yields, treatment 4 was chosen at high rpm and a crushing time of the 60s with a yield of 28.38%, in the production of biopolymers the formulation with the best physicochemical characteristics, good traction and degradability was treatment 1 with 2g of starch and 0.5 ml of glycerine. The conclusion is that the optimum concentration of starch is 2g, giving it ideal properties and characteristics for its subsequent application, which, because it is from a natural source, has a fast biodegradability time. It is recommended in subsequent research work to add other substances that help or have a biodegradability time even less than that obtained.