bioplastics and biotechnology for sustainable future

2. 1. Introduction
2. Historical Overview
3. The reasons for developing Bioplastics
4. Producing Bioplastics
5. Case Study : PHB
6. Comparative Overview
7. Bioplastic Products

3. •Bioplastics are plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable
fats and oils, corn starch, or micro biota. (Hong Chua1 et. al,).
•Bioplastics can be made from agricultural byproducts and also from used plastic
bottles and other containers using microorganisms
•Common plastics, such as fossil-fuel plastics , are derived from petroleum or natural
gas. Production of such plastics tends to require more fossil fuels and to produce
more greenhouse gases than the production of biobased polymers (bioplastics).

4. Bioplastics – a family of materials

5. Bioplastics are biobased, biodegradable or both.
“Biobased” does not equal “biodegradable”

9. MONOMERS POLYMERS
For producing Bioplastics biodegradable polymers are used.
Biodegradable polymers can be listed as follows:

11. WHY PHB?
• Purely biobased and completely Biodegradable.
• PLA and other oil based plastics are not completely biodegradable.
• Biocompatible and hence is suitable for medical applications.

12. Introduction:
❖Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) are members from family of polyesters known as
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs).
intracellular granules by Gram-positive and Gram-negative
❖Accumulated in
microorganisms.
❖PHB are produced when there is excess carbon source with the limitation of one of
the essential nutrients.
❖Also known as Biopolymers as they are produced from microorganisms.
❖They are thermoplastic polymers and are totally biodegradable
❖Many different types of PHAs are available and PHB is the most common one
❖Empirical formula - [C4H6O2]n
❖Structural formula for the linear chain of PHB

13. PHB was discovered in 1925 by French
scientist Maurice Lemoigne.
Found that PHB as the intracellular inclusions
in many bacteria.
In 1982, the Imperial Chemical Industry in
England announced product development
program of this biopolymer. A pilot production
of 2 tonnes of PHB was made in 1991.
Maurice Lemoigne
History:

14. Properties:

16. ▪ Ralstonia
▪ Bacillus
▪ Pseudomonas
▪ Alcaligenes
▪ Azotobacter
▪ Hydrogenomonas
▪ Chromatium
▪ Methylobacterium
▪ Recombinant Escherichia coli and many others.

17. ✓Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) are polymers that bacteria produce under conditions of
low concentrations of important nutrients (typically nitrogen, but sometimes oxygen) and
high concentrations of carbon sources.
✓This process occurs because the excess carbon leads to bacteria creating carbon
reserves (PHAs) to save for a time with more plentiful nutrients in which they need
energy to carry out regular functions.
✓Bacteria store PHBs in granules for later use.
✓These polymers are accumulated intracellularly under conditions of nutrient stress and
act as a carbon and energy reserve.
Producing PHB:

18. ✓Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is synthesized as an intracellular storage material
and accumulates as distinct white granules during unbalanced growth in the cell, these
are clearly visible in the cytoplasm of the cell.
✓Many bacteria including those in the soil, are capable of PHB production and
breakdown.
It consists of three enzymes
➢β-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (phb A)
➢NADPH dependent Acetoacetyl-CoA dehydrogenase (phb B)
➢P(3HB) polymerase (phb C)

19. PRODUCTION OVERVIEW:
PLASTICS PRODUCTS
BIODEGRADATION
CO2
H2O
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PLANTS
CARBOHYDRATES
FERMENTATION
PHA POLYMER
RECYCLE

21. Heinrich et al., 2012

22. Types of Bioplastics
⚫Starch-based plastics
constituting about 50 percent of the bioplastics
market, thermoplastic starch, currently represents the
mostwidely used bioplastic. Purestarch possesses the
characteristic of being able to absorb humidity,
therefore Flexibiliser and plasticiser such as sorbitol
and glycerine are added so the starch can also be
processed thermo-plastically.
Packaging peanuts made from
bioplastics

23. ⚫ Cellulose-based plastics
Cellulose bioplasticsare mainly
thecelluloseesters, (including
celluloseacetateand nitrocellulose)
and their derivatives, including
celluloid.
⚫Some aliphatic polyesters
Thealiphatic biopolyestersare mainly
polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), poly-3-hydroxybutyrate
(PHB), Polylacticacid (PLA) plasticsetc.
packaging blister made
from celluloseacetate

24. 1. Polylactic acid (PLA)
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a transparent plastic produced
from cane sugar or glucose.
Enzymes are used to break starch in the plants
down into glucose, which is fermented and
made into lactic acid. This lactic acid is
polymerized and converted into
a plasticcalled polylacticacid.
Theseare used in the plastic processing industry for
the productionof foil, moulds, cupsand bottles.
Mulch film made of PLA

25. 2. Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)
The biopolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a
polyesterproduced bycertain bacteria processing
glucose, corn starch orwastewater. It produces
transparent film at a melting point higher than 130
degrees Celsius, and is biodegradable without residue.
3. Polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHA)
These are linear polyesters produced in nature by
bacterial fermentation of sugar . Theyare produced by
the bacteria to store carbon and energy. In industrial
production, the polyester is extracted and purified
from the bacteria byoptimizing the conditions for the
fermentation of sugar. These plastics are being widely
used in the medical industry.

26. ⚫Bio-derived polyethylene
The basic building block of polyethylene is ethylene. This
is just one small chemical step from ethanol, which can
be produced by fermentation of agricultural feedstock's
such as sugar cane or corn. Bio-derived polyethylene is
chemically and physically identical to traditional
polyethylene – it does not biodegrade but can be
recycled. It can also considerably reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. It is used in packaging such as bottlesand
tubs.

27. Bioplastic Properties
⚫Someare stiff and brittle.
⚫Someare rubberyand moldable.
⚫Properties may be manipulated by blending polymers
orgenetic modifications.
⚫Degradesat 185°C.
⚫Moistureresistant, water insoluble, optically pure,
impermeable tooxygen.
⚫Must maintain stabilityduring manufactureand use
butdegrade rapidlywhen disposed of orrecycled.

28. Environmental impacts
⚫Bioplastics are designed to biodegrade. Bioplastics
which are designed to biodegrade can break down in
eitheranaerobic oraerobic environments, depending
on how theyare manufactured.
⚫Bioplastics are environmentally friendly because their
production results in theemission of less carbon dioxide,
which is thought tocauseglobal warming.
⚫Theyarealso biodegradable, meaning that the material
returns to its natural state when buried in theground.

30. Uses of Bioplastic
⚫In electronic industries
1.Mitsubishi Plastics has already succeeded in raising the
heat-resistance and strength of polylactic acid by
combining itwith other biodegradable plasticsand filler,
and the resultwas used to make the plasticcasing.
2.NEC Corp., meanwhile, is turning itsattention to kenaf, a
type of fibrous plant native to tropical areas of Africa and
Asia that is known to grow more than five meters in just
half ayear.
A mixtureof polylacticacid and kenaf fibre that is 20%
fibre by weight allows for a plastic that is strong enough
and heat resistantenough to be used in electronicgoods.

31. ⚫Packaging
1. The useof bioplastics forshopping bags is alreadyvery
common.
2. After their initial use theycan be reused as bags fororganic
wasteand then becomposted.
3. Trays and containers for fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat,
bottles forsoft drinks and dairy products and blister foils
for fruit and vegetables are also already widely
manufactured from bioplastics.
Flower wrapping madeof
PLA-blend

32. ⚫Catering products
1. Catering products belong to thegroupof perishable
plastics.
2. Disposablecrockeryand cutlery, as well as potsand
bowls, pack foils for hamburgers and straws are being
dumped aftera single use, togetherwith food-leftovers,
forming huge amounts of waste, particularly at big
events.
Drinking straws madeof
PLA-blend

33. ⚫Gardening
1. Within the agricultural economy and the gardening
sector mulch foils madeof biodegradable material
and flowerpots madeof decomposable bioplastics
are predominantly used due to their adjustable
lifespan and the fact that these materials do not
leaveresidues in thesoil.
2. This helps reduce work and time (and thus cost) as
these productscan simply be left todecompose, after
which theyare ploughed in to the soil.
3. Plant pots used for flowering and vegetableplantscan
be composted along with gardening and kitchen litter.

34. ⚫Medical Products
1. In comparison to packaging, catering orgardening
sectors, the medical sector sets out completely
different requirements with regards to products
madeof renewable and reabsorbing plastics.
2. The highest possiblequalitativestandards have
to be met and guaranteed, resulting in an extremely
high costs, which sometimesexceed 1.000 Euro per kilo.
3. The potential applicationsof biodegradable or reabsorbing
bioplasticsare manifold.

35. ⚫Sanitary Products
1. Due to theirspecific characteristics, bioplasticsare used
as a basis forthe production of sanitary products.
2. These materials are breathable and allow water
vapour to permeate, butat thesame time theyare
waterproof.
3. Foils made of soft bioplasticarealready used as diaper foil,
bed underlay, for incontinence products, ladies sanitary
products and as disposable gloves.

36. Biodegradation
⚫Fastest in anaerobic sewageand slowest in seawater
⚫Dependson temperature, light, moisture, exposed
surfacearea, pH and microbial activity
⚫Degrading microbescolonize polymersurface & secrete
PHA depolymerases
⚫PHA  CO2 + H2O (aerobically)
⚫PHA  CO2 + H2O + CH4 (anaerobically)

37. Carbon Cycle of Bioplastics
CO2
H2O
Biodegradation
Carbohydrates
Plastic Products
Plants
Fermentation
PHA Polymer
Photosynthesis
Recycle

38. •Bioenvelop – Canada – BioP – food containers
•EarthShell – USA - utensils
•EverCorn. Inc. – Japan – EverCorn – resin for coating
•National Starch Company – UK - packaging
•Novamont – Italy – Mater-Bi – films and moulded products
•VTT Chemical Technology – Finland – COHPOL
•Plastobag Industries – India
COMPANIES PRODUCING PHB:

39. C ONVE NTIONAL
PLASTICS
BIOPLASTICS
Complex entanglements of
polymer chains (usually PET or
PBT) make it hard to decompose.
Relies heavily on petrochemicals
Recycling requires energy and
money, Releases toxic chemicals
Cheap and Easy to Manufacture.
Good Commercial Properties.
Biodegradable - byproducts water,
CO2, and organic materials, Can
be utilized as fuel
Requires less or no petrochemicals
Slow Release of CO2 allows for
plants to absorb CO2 than release
it in the atmosphere, Reduces or
eliminates G H G in production,
Plants decreases CO2 in the
atmosphere.
Costly and requires special setups.
Brittle, Uses Genetically Modified
processes, Use of fertilizers and
pesticides for crops.

40. C U R R E NT:
● Utilizes waste materials
𝗈Reduces Municipal waste
𝗈Use manure or compost
𝗈 Reduces methane
● High moisture content
𝗈 Replace regular cloths
● Can be converted back to
monomer, purified, and further
utilized as a plastic
● Biodegradable
● Requires less energy to
manufacture
𝗈Less petrochemicals or none
required
𝗈Requires no processing
● Can use conventional plastic
factories for manufacturing
● Can replace fertilizers
POTENTIALS:
● Improving biodegradability
for certain environments
● Metallization could provide
better barrier properties
𝗈 Addition of SiO2, carbon
fiber, or other metals
𝗈 Increases thermal
conductivity
● Specialized enzymes can
enhance production
● Could be cost effective as
petrochemicals increase in
price
● Renewable energy such as
solar power, wind energy
etc. can be used for
powering the industry

41. •Bioserie toys: plant based plastics used for making teethers and other
toys for children.
http://sur.ly/o/bioserie.com

42. •The ScanFast 2.0 Collection of laptop cases from MobileEdge is designed to
allow travelers through security checkpoints without taking their computers out of
the bags -- the design allows an "unobstructed security scan of the computer."
And to make them even more technologically advanced, MobileEdge turned
to DuPont's Sorona bioplastic -- one of the first on the market -- which is made
from 37 percent renewable ingredients ("agricultural feedstocks" according to the
company, which means corn).
•Fujitsu Develops World's First Bioplastic Computer Cases
•Snack maker Sun Chips was at the forefront of bioplastics when it
switched to biodegradable packaging in 2009.

43. •Proctor & Gamble joined forces last year with
Bioplastics giant Braskem to package some of its health
and beauty products in petroleum-free bottles. Braskem
makes its polymer from sugarcane, and expects to roll
out the new bottles internationally over the next two
years. The first product to get the green
treatment: Pantene Pro V Nature Fusion shampoo and
conditioner, which landed on store shelves in Western
Europe in April 2011.
•The corn-based fabric known as Ingeo, produced
by NatureWorks, shows up in everything from throw blankets
to deli containers -- and these Fox River socks, where it's
blended with recycled polyester.