Síntesis y análisis del proceso de obtención de un bioplástico biodegradable a partir del almidón de chirivía (Pastinaca sativa) para el uso en el embalaje de alimentos

Abstract

The aim of this research was to synthesize and analyze the elaboration process of a biodegradable bioplastic using parsnip starch as raw material, for its subsequent use in food packaging. For this purpose, a 2k factorial design (k= 2) was applied, which related the crushing speed and time for starch extraction and the concentration of starch and plasticizer for obtaining the bioplastic, based on a high limit and a low limit for both. Starch extraction was carried out using the wet method, obtaining four treatments, of which the best yield obtained was 15.93%, corresponding to Treatment 2. Subsequently, the physicochemical characterization of the starch was carried out based on the established standards (all the tests complied with the required standard). In obtaining the bioplastic, the best concentrations for the starch were found to be 3g and 3.5g and for the plasticizer 1mL and 1.3 mL; the concentrations of water and acetic acid remained constant. Characterization of the obtained bioplastics was also carried out by thickness, moisture, solubility and permeability tests. Tensile tests showed Treatment 3 as the best, as it presented the highest elongation percentage, elasticity modulus, yield stress and maximum stress compared to the other treatments. For the biodegradability test, the samples were deposited in three media for approximately 38 days, observing an accelerated biodegradability in water, followed by soil and finally the environment. It is concluded that the bioplastic samples obtained can be applied in food packaging as they present the appropriate properties required by the standards used. It is recommended to let the film dry completely, in order to avoid lacerations during demolding.