MICROALGAE SCENEDESMUS SP. SAR1 AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE FOR BIOPLASTIC PRODUCTION

Abstract

Bioplastic is a biodegradable material produced from renewable sources and used to reduce our dependence on fossil resources which are significantly suffocating the planet and polluting the environment by emitting greenhouse gas. The ability of microalgal cells to absorb carbon dioxide facilitates the reduction of greenhouse gases and also considered as a novel high efficient starch producer. Starch obtained from microalgae can be used as a raw material for bioplastics production. In this study, green microalga Scenedesmus sp SAR1 is used as a highly productive source of starch, an alternative source for starch-rich plants in bioplastic production. From Scenedesmus, the starch was extracted as granules and analyzed by using FTIR spectroscopy. To create a plastic material with better mechanical properties, the extracted starch granules from the microalga Scenedesmus sp SAR1 are mixed with the plasticizer carboxymethyl cellulose. This algal bioplastic iseasily degradableand act as a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to single-use packaging.