Alternative Plastic Derived from Agar-Agar Seaweeds (Gelidium amansii)

Joshua Aristorenas Kyle David Job Ochoa Miguel Roa Gabriel Santiago I-A

Mr. Mike Toledo February 1, 2011

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study What inspired our group to tackle our topic are: One, the global concern with the excessive usage of fossil fuels which damages our environment; and two, the need to discover alternative resource in producing plastic that is more environment friendly. Every year tons of fossil fuels are burned. This process releases pollutants in the air which cause acid rain, air pollution and greenhouse effect. We asked ourselves: How can we minimize the use of fossil fuels? We read from our science textbooks that oil is used for manufacturing plastics and further research revealed that it takes 430 000 gallons of oil to produce 100 000 000 plastic bags. Despite our growing lack of oil for power, we use this oil to produce plastic, which we waste every day. This is the kind of plastic that is abundant in our landfills and clogs our canals and waterways and is non-biodegradable. Because of its negative effects on the environment, alternative resources which are called eco-friendly or bioplastics are being developed. We believe that seaweed could be one alternative resource. Seaweed, which is locally known as agar-agar, is abundant in our country particularly in the Southern Philippines. The specific chemical that we are interested in is agar, which appears in red seaweed in abundance. Like all other plastics, bioplastics are composed of three basic parts: one or more polymers (gives strength), one or more plasticizers (bendable and mouldable qualities), one or more additives (color, durability, etc.). Agar is a bypolymer which means that its glycerol lasts longer and

improves resistance to microwave radiation. Seaweed is already being used in many other ways but, as a plastic base, it is still experimental. The study and experimentation of using seaweed as an oil substitute for plastic manufacturing will not only help minimize the use of oil, but also pave the way for a cleaner earth with less non-biodegradable plastic. B. Statement of the Problem a. Statement of the Problem The main problem in this study is to produce an environment-friendly plastic derived from seaweed. Specifically, it attempts to answer the following questions: 1. How can seaweed (agar-agar) be utilized in order to create an oil substitute to form plastic? 2. How can this seaweed-made plastic be easily produced at home? 3. How will the community benefit from this seaweed-made plastic? b. Objectives of the Study The main purpose of this study is to accomplish the following objectives: 1. To create a seaweed-made plastic that may be produced at home. 2. To propose the seaweed-made plastic as an alternative to the non-biodegradable plastic in order to help save our environment. 3. To create a study that may inspire future experiments related to the production of biodegradable plastics.

C. Significance of the Study

Today, more than ever, people everywhere have become more aware and involved in environment issues. Pollution of air, land and water resources caused by burning tons of fossil fuels and the use of their finished products such as nonbiodegradable plastics is one of the major concerns. Because of this, studies and new products have come up to replace such harmful plastics with so-called eco-friendly or bioplastics. This research is our way of supporting the cause for a healthier, greener earth. The study hopes to inspire others to consider seaweeds as a potential alternative to the petroleum-based plastics. If found to be true in the future, this study would help promote another biodegradable plastic that will be a lot less harmful to the environment. Thus, it can help boost the economy of the Philippines by making plastics from abundant natural resources like seaweeds. D. Scope and Limitation

The study will be conducted by a group of five researchers from September 2010 to February 2011. The focus is to produce plastic made from oil extracted from seaweeds. To be able to do this, the group will research on other substances used in making bioplastics such as cornstarch and see how the processes can be applied using seaweeds. The testing of the results of our study is limited by the timeframe in which the plastic produced remains intact. Also, to keep the plastic durable would involve a complicated

process which we cant do and will not tackle in this study. Lastly, we cant test if and when the plastic derived from the seaweed (agar-agar) will biodegrade.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE

Brief History of Plastics and their Effects on the Environment The first plastic made by humans was created by Alexander Parkes in 1855 which he called Parkesine. As time progressed, it was developed into the more durable and useful materials we use today. However, it had detrimental effects to the environment because its molecular bonds made it durable that not even the natural process of degradation could work against it. The mass production of plastic also paved way for chemical pollutants to damage the ozone layer. People tried to burn plastic but ended up in releasing toxic fumes. Because of this, alternative ways to produce plastic were developed like the recycling programs. Recycling of plastics became a very tedious job and unprofitable thus use of biodegradable plastic came to be. Unlike the plastics used before, biodegradable ones will be able to decompose in natural environment. According to Wikipedia.com, biodegradation of plastics can be achieved by enabling microorganisms in the environment to metabolize the molecular structure of plastic films to produce an inert humus-like material that is less harmful to the environment. The first biodegradable plastics were made from corn or PLA (Polylactic acids). The plastics produced from corn didnt really decompose naturally because it had to be heated for six (6) months to be able to biodegrade. In addition to that, using corn will even aggravate the food problem in the world because a lot of corn has to be used.

After corn was not recommended, oxo-biodegradable plastics were produced. This particular biodegradable plastic is more widely used in Europe than in the U.S. It has more advantages than the use of PLA. It is less expensive, recyclable, resists water, more durable, and the component used is a useless industrial byproduct. However, oxobiodegradable plastics when deeply buried in landfills will not be able to biodegrade because they need to be exposed to environmental factors for the process to work. Besides, if they happened to be recycled, they would have a short lifespan when exposed to sunlight which would be a problem to plastic-made products. Next came what we widely use today, the microbiodegradable plastic. It is very advantageous because the additive used on it will make it biodegrade without the need of heat, oxygen, etc. It has the same beneficial features as the oxo-biodegradable plastics. Unlike the oxo-biodegradable plastics, these microbiodegradable plastics have better shelf life because it needs the presence of soil microorganisms. This will greatly help decrease the environmental problems with regards to plastics. Seaweeds in Bioplastics The various forms of biodegradable plastics are still under continuing research. Other bioplastics which are degradable were also derived from other renewable resources such as seaweeds. "Seaweed" is a form of algae and in the context of bioplastics: red algae, also known as "red seaweed." Agar is a gelatinous substance that is derived from the cell walls of red seaweed. When you hear companies talk about developing bioplastic made

from seaweed, they really mean that they will be using the chemical agar, which is extracted from the seaweed. Since 600 BC, red algae have been used in China for food and medicinal purposes but scientific research in this field only started in the 1970s. Presently, agar is used as a food additive in confectionaries, desserts, beverages, ice cream and health foods. It's also used as a non-food additive in toothpaste, cosmetics, and adhesives. Agar could be used as a biopolymer that gives strength to plastic. Agar, either by itself or in blends with other biopolymers, appears to impart favorable properties to plastic sheets. In plastics containing agar and glycerol (a plasticizer), the effectiveness of the glycerol lasts longer, because the agar seems to slow down the increase in brittleness. Agar also seems to improve resistance to microwave radiation, and it improves clarity in sorbitol formulations. Agar is more expensive than starch, which limits its large-scale use. Current Research and Development into Seaweeds-Based Plastics One corporation that is into research and development of algae-based plastics is Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP), a leading US-based manufacturer of proprietary biobased, sustainable plastics which are used as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics. Recently, Cereplast announced a breakthrough in their research and development of algae-based resins. Algae-based resins represent the latest advancement in bioplastics technology and our product development efforts over the last several months has yielded very encouraging results, said Frederic Scheer, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast, Inc. The properties of hybrid materials that we have developed with algae are now very close to meeting our expectations, and are on target to introduce a new family

algae-based plastics by the end of the year. In the not so distant future, we believe that algae will become one of the most important 'green' feedstocks in bioplastics as well as biofuels. Added Mr. Scheer, Our view is that developing alternative feedstock unrelated to fossil fuels and to the food chain is the next 'frontier' for bioplastics and Cereplast is moving ahead very aggressively on this front. Cereplast algae-based resins represent a breakthrough in industry technology and have the potential to replace 50% or more of the petroleum content used in traditional plastic resins. Currently, Cereplast is using renewable material such as starches from corn, tapioca, wheat and potatoes in the manufacture of bio-based resins. Algae-based resins, which are revolutionary in the industry, will complement the Companys existing line of Compostables and Hybrid resins. Cereplast is currently in contact with several companies that plan to use algae to minimize the carbon dioxide and nitrous gases from polluting smoke-stack environments. Algae from a typical photo-bioreactor is harvested daily and may be treated as biomass, which can be used as biofuel or as a raw material source for biopolymer feed stock. The Company is also in direct communication with potential chemical conversion companies that could convert the algae biomass into viable monomers for further conversion into potential biopolymers. According to William Kelly, leading Cereplasts algae to plastics development efforts: Commercial algae resins represent a significant breakthrough in the greening of the plastics industry, a transformation that we believe is critical to helping ensure the long-term sustainability of the planet. There are already a number of big players entering

the commercial-scale algae production business, and the use of algae as a feedstock for plastics allows us to go full circle: the very substance that can absorb and minimize CO2 and polluting gases from the industrial process can also be turned into sustainable, renewable plastic products and biofuels while reducing our use of fossil fuels. Another corporation that is at the cutting edge of bio-plastic research and development is the famous car manufacturer, Toyota. Toyota has been researching, developing and using bioplastics as a material for car parts. The idea of cars made of seaweed is not new. Toyota started putting bioplastics using crops like sugar cane and corn into the companys concept cars, back in 2001. The company also investigated sweet potatoes as raw materials for its products. Right now, Toyota is in the process of scaling up its bioplastic production by 2020. They aim for 20 million tons of these bioplastics. According to Toyota, using seaweeds will have a nifty advantage. As we all know, there are 9000 different marine algae. Toyota used some of the specie to build panels and car parts. They also said that making plastics out of seaweed is a lot cheaper, and the good thing about it is that it is a lot friendlier to the environment compared to usual plastics that are being used. The company also found different ways of making plastics incredibly strong. One process involves Nano-engineered composite. It emulates the molecular structure from a seashell which results in the potential of seaweeds to become stronger than steel, at the same time lighter than steel. That, in turn, will result to an energy efficient car.

Last year (2009), Toyota exhibited the 1/X plug-in hybrid concept car at the Melbourne Motor Show floating the idea to replace the carbon-fiber reinforced to seaweed bioplastic. "We used light-weight carbon-fibre reinforced plastic throughout the body frame for its superior collision safety, but that material is made from oil," project manager Tetsuya Kaida explained. In the future, I'm sure we will have access to new and better materials, such as those made from plants, something natural, maybe something like paper. In fact, I want to create such a vehicle from seaweed because Japan is surrounded by the sea." Presently, Toyota does not foresee that much of drawbacks and disadvantages in using seaweeds but acknowledges that there should be a few. For one, seaweed need to be harvested correctly because seaweed is used worldwide for many other purposes. Seaweed is also an important food to the Japanese. However, one advantage is that

Japan is surrounded by bodies of water that are abundant in seaweed. Another advantage in the use of seaweed based plastic is that when its time for the product to be disposed, it is a lot easier because their aging hulks could be eaten by microorganisms. It will be like the life cycle of a seaweed.

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

A. Materials

3.0 g (1 tsp) agar (Gelidium amansii) powder 240 ml (1 cup) of 1% glycerol {C3H5(OH)3} solution 180 ml (3/4 cup) water {H2O} Measuring cups and spoons Mixing bowl Sauce pan Drying pan Baking mold pan Spatula Table spoon Cooking spoon Stove B. 1. Procedure Measure 3.0 g or 1 tsp. agar powder using a measuring spoon and place in a mixing bowl. 2. 3. Add 240 ml or 1 cup of 1% glycerol solution using a measuring cup. Add 180 ml or cup water using a measuring cup.

4.

Mix and stir the agar, glycerol and water in the mixing bowl using a spatula. Keep mixing and stirring until there are no clumps left.

5.

Pour the mixture into a sauce pan and heat the pan on a stove until it reaches about 95 C or until the mixture starts to froth (whichever comes first).

6. 7.

Keep stirring the mixture while heating using a cooking spoon. Remove the pan from the stove once it is at the right temperature or starts to froth but keep stirring using your cooking spoon.

8. 9.

Scoop out excess froth with a table spoon, and make sure there are no clumps. Carefully pour approximately half of the mixture into a drying pan making sure that it spreads out evenly using a spatula and the rest into a baking mold pan. Allow them to dry.

10.

Remove the plastic formed from the drying and baking mold pans once they are dry.

11.

If the plastic turns out to be too sticky or slimy, repeat the entire procedure but decrease the glycerol by 10ml. You can repeat the experiment decreasing the glycerol by same amount until you get a plastic you like.

C.

Record Keeping First of all, the materials must be sourced and the amounts of the ingredients to be

used shall be carefully measured using measuring tools for accuracy. All other materials must be used properly to ensure the success of the experiment.

The end-product should be evaluated whether similar characteristics inherent in plastics such as: 1. strength; 2. bendability; and 3. mouldable qualities are present or

absent. The group shall test the plastic's strength by gently pulling each end of the plastic with equal force. The plastic's bendability will be tested by trying to connect both ends of the product together. The plastic's mouldable qualities will be tested by forming the product into different shapes using a baking mould pan.

Depending on the outcome as stated in step 11 of the Procedure, the experiment shall be repeated for a minimum of 3 times and the observations/evaluations shall be recorded for each plastic produced using specified measurements based on the above qualities of a plastic. The results shall be presented in tabular form.

CHAPTER IV DATA AND RESULTS

A.

Data and Results of the Study After several trials of experimentation, the group has come up with a plastic

material that met the criteria presented in the Methodology, namely: strength, bendability and mouldability. The data and results for each trial conducted are presented in the tables below. Table 1: Testing the Qualities of the Plastic Produced Per Trial No. of Trial 1 2 3 4 Strength (1-5) 1 2 3 4 Bendability (1-5) 1 2 4 5 Mouldability (1-5) 3 3 4 5

Legend: 1 Lowest 5 Highest

5 4 3 2 1 0 Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial3 Trial 4 streng th bendability m ouldability

Table 2: Measurements of Ingredients Used Per Trial

No. of Trial 1 2 3 4 B.

Agar Powder (tsp) 1 1 1 1/2 2 1/2

Glycerol Solution (240ml) (glycerine:distilledwater) 2.4:237.6 3:237 5:235 5:235

Water (ml) 180 180 180 180

Discussion and Analysis of Data and Results Table 1 provides the groups evaluation of the plastic produced per trial based on

its strength, bendability and mouldability. As stated in Chapter III, strength will be tested by gently stretching the plastic; bendability by connecting both ends of the plastic and mouldability by observing if the plastic can take on different shapes. In Trial 1, the plastic produced was too soft and slimy to be stretched, crumbled into small multiple pieces when bended and was capable of being moulded. In Trial 2, the plastic tore at the sides when stretched, broke a little more when bended, and was capable of being moulded. In Trial 3, the plastic produced was capable of being stretched with a little tearing at the sides, capable of being bended without crumbling and formed the desired shape when moulded. Also, a crude cup-like container was formed. Finally in Trial 4, the plastic was a lot sturdier when stretched, stayed intact when bended, and formed into the desired shapes when moulded. A sturdier cup that could hold liquid was also produced. These findings are documented by pictures found in Appendix A of the paper.

The plastics produced in all trials were cloudy in color and were moist under room temperature. When touched, they were cool, smooth, slippery and rubber-like in texture. The agar gave the product a sea-smell. It was observed that after five days, the plastic started to change in appearance or degraded by shrinking and hardening and formed dark spots. The researchers encountered a problem in sourcing the ingredient glycerol solution as there was no chemical company that sells 1% glycerol solution but only 99.86% pure glycerine. The group asked the help of a Math major on how to dilute the pure glycerine to come up with 240 ml of 1% glycerol solution. The final constitution was 2.4ml glycerine mixed with 237.6 ml distilled water. The complete details of the formula proposed to the researchers are found in Appendix B of this paper. Also, because of the problem with the 1% glycerol solution the researchers were not able to strictly follow step 11 of the Methodology but instead used a trial-and-error method of coming up with the right mix of agar powder and glycerol that would produce a good plastic material. The amount of agar was increased in trials 3 & 4 while glycerine was increased in trials 2 & 3. Despite the problem encountered, the experiment was a success on the fourth trial.

CHAPTER V SUMMARY/CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Summary and Conclusion

The researchers were able to meet the objectives of this study. First, they were able to produce a plastic material at home made from agar seaweed powder (gelling agent) combined with glycerol (plasticizer). Through trial-and-error method, the group found a right mix of agar powder and glycerol to produce a plastic material. But because of the limitations, the product is not a perfect plastic. Second, it is environment-friendly because after five days, the plastic material produced started to degrade which means easier disposal of the plastic. Finally, even if it is a simple experiment, it supports other studies that promote seaweed-based and other biodegradable plastics. B. Recommendations The researchers learned a lot from this study and encourage others to conduct more in-depth studies on seaweeds-based plastics. A follow-up investigation on this topic must look into: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Trying carrageenan seaweed powder as an alternative to agar powder; Adding food coloring to make the product more presentable; Using better or other types of moulders; Conducting more trials until a better plastic is produced; Combining agar with other biopolymers (ex. starch) to see if this will produce a

better plastic.

BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES

1. Biodegradable Plastic. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. Nov. 2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_plastic>

2. Cereplast Provides Update on its Breakthrough Algae-Based Plastics. BusinessWire. April 27, 2010. <http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/> 3. Dunn, Tim. The Evolution of Biodegradable Plastic. Earth Nurture. Jan. 20, 2009. <http://earthnurture.com/> 4. Hot Science News: Cars built from seaweeds? Science Channel. March 20, 2009. <http://blogs.discovery.com/good_idea/2009/03/cars-built-from-seaweed.html> 5. Oehring, Rachael. Food Science! Agar Agar Solo Cups. Nerdist. Aug. 27, 2010.
<http://www.nerdist.com/2010/08/food-science-agar-agar-solo-cups/>

6. Plastic. Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. March 2007. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic> 7. Stevens, E.S. An Introduction to the New Science of Biodegradable Plastics. Amazon.com. Nov. 1, 2001. Princeton University Press <http://greenplastics.com/wiki/> 8. Stevens, E. S. How To: make algae bioplastic. Green Plastics. Sept. 2, 2010. <http://green-plastics.net/discussion/54-student/84-how-to-make-algae-bioplastic>

APPENDIX B DILUTION OF SOLUTIONS In preparing a dilution/ solution from a stock solution, you can use law of conservation of mass to perform the calculation for the dilution:

MiVi = MfVf where M is molarity, V is volume, and the subscripts i and f refer to the initial and final values. Or for the sake of simplicity use : CdilutionVdilution = CstockVstock
C = Concentration

V = Volume

Given data:
1) Stock solution : 99.86% pure glycerine in a 250ml bottle 2) Final dilution : 1% glycerol solution in a 240ml bottle

Problem: How many Xml of stock solution is needed to prepare the final solution? Computation: To make your final solution/dilution, i.e. 1% solution in a 240ml (glycerine plus distilled water) bottle: CdilutionVdilution = CstockVstock (0.01 ) (0.240) = (0.9986) V stock liter V stock liter = [(0.01)(0.240)] / (0.9986) = 0.0024 / 0.9986 = 0.002403 liter or 2.403 ml of Stock Solution (glycerine) The amount (ml) of distilled water required is: 240.00 ml 2.403ml = 237.597 ml of distilled water