Freshman 63458

I N C O O P E R AT I O N W I T H T H E
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLGY
The Feasiblity of Cogon

Grass (Imperata cylindrica) as
an Economical and
Environment-Friendly
Substitute for Cardboard
Food Packaging
ABSTRACT: 11.4% starch, and treatment E, 10% concluded that treatment C was the best
The feasibility of cogon grass water and 15% starch. The samples treatment.
(Imperata cylindrica) as substitute for produced were then subjected to different INTRODUCTION
cardboard food packaging was studied in tests: breaking strength, water retention, Nonbiodegradable waste is a major
this research project. The cogon grass and qualitative tests. The data gathered concern everywhere in the world. The
was cut, boiled, and crushed in order to from the three tests were then analyzed bulk of the worlds waste consists of the
get the pulp. The pulp was then subjected using ANOVA and t-test. Result showed hard-to-breakdown products, such as
to five different treatments before it was that treatment C was able to withstand styrofoam. Styrofoam is commonly used
made into a cardboard-like material. The the greatest amount of weight while as food container in fast food restaurants.
amount of resin and other additives were treatment D absorbed least of the water Because it cannot be recycled, this
kept constant while the amount of starch placed in it. For the qualitative test, the particular waste contributes largely to the
was varied in every treatment. Treatment choices of the judges were evaluated with worlds increasing garbage problem.
A served as the control and contained the use of Friedmanns test and from the To lessen this environmental
12% water and 7.5% starch. data, treatment B has the most consumer problem, one logical solution is to use
Treatment B had 5% water and appeal. Based on the gathered results, the biodegradable materials or recyclable
3.8% starch; treatment C 5% water and different treatments were ranked ones. Paper is being reconsidered and
7.5% starch; treatment D, 5% water and accordingly and the researchers encouraged for use. This material can be
16 FRESHMAN
recycled over and over again. However, papermaking. For the paper sheet production,
trees still need to be cut for paper The spread of education and five treatments were prepared. Each
production. This spells trouble for the industry steadily increased the demand treatment contained 1 kg of pulp, 20 g of
already depleted forests. Because of this, for paper. That is why the search for paper resin and 16 g of powdered alum.
the researchers thought of an alternative. materials are carried on until today. Treatment A contained 12% water and
This alternative uses cogon grass for Listed as possible sources are vegetable 7.5% starch. Treatment B had 5% starch;
making the pulp and the paper. Cogon fibers such as wood, flax, cotton, and treatment D, 5% water and 11.4% starch;
grass is found abundantly in many places bagasses. For mineral and nonmineral or and treatment E, 10% water and 15%
and is sometimes considered a nuisance. synthetic materials, there are gypsum, starch. The materials were mixed and,
In this study, the researchers asbestos, glass fibers, and synthetic using a mold and deckle, were made into
answered the following questions: Can fibers. sheets. They were removed from the
cogon grass be made into sturdy Plant fibers are not the only mold and put in between cheesecloth. A
materials for food packaging? What substances needed for making paper pulp rolling pin was used to remove excess
additives can be used to enhance the achieve desirable properties. Resin, the water. The sheets were placed on a flat
packaging material? What concentration sticky substance from plants, and alum surface and were set out in the sun for
of these additives is the best to produce a are added to make the paper resistant to dying.
strong material? water. Pigments and dyes give color to To test the effect of various
The research was limited to paper the paper while china clay increases its concentrations of water and starch on the
production and three different tests. The smooth texture. These are additives that strength of the paper, the breaking
samples produced were not covered with are blended together to produce paper. strength test was performed. One
wax. Therefore, they couldnt be fairly member of the group held the paper on
compared to styrofoam in terms of their MATERIALS AND METHODS each side. A string was attached through
ability to resist water. Also, the products Dried cogon grass was obtained the middle of the paper. To the other end
were tested only for water retention and from IRRI, Los Baos, Laguna. The grass of the string, weights were added one by
not for oil from which most foods are was cut into approximately 0.5 inch one until the paper broke. The weight in
based. strips, using scissors or knife. One which the sheet broke was the breaking
kilogram of this cut cogon grass was strength.
REVIEW OF RELATED boiled in a stainless steel couldron, The moisture retention test used
LITERATURE containing 20L of water and about 180 g 0.5 mL of water which was poured on
It was in China in 105 A.D. that of caustic soda. This was allowed to boil each preweighed sample. After 10
the paper was invented. The inventor, for about 3-4 hours in medium heat. After minutes, the excess water was shaken off
Tsai Lu, used the inner bark of the which the cogon was washed under and the sheets were again weighed to
mulberry tree to get fibers. These fibers running water and crushed in mortar and determined the amount of water they
were mixed with other substances and pestle. It was screened from unwanted each absorbed.
produced smooth pulp that later became materials, yielding a purified pulp. Pulp The qualitative test was done by
sheets. The Chinese found out later that was put in a cheesecloth and the excess the 14 randomly-selected people from
rags, hemps, ropes, and old fish nets were water was squeezed out, using a rolling Philippine Science High School who
potential materials for good pin. judged the samples appearance and
FRESHMAN 17
Table 1. Results obtained from the breaking strength test
ranked them according to their
preference. The Firedmanns test was TRIAL TRIAL TRIAL AVERAGE
TREATMENT 1(g) 2(g) 3(g) (g)
performed to evaluate the data gathered.
Statistical test were also A 365.0 368.2 383.2 372.1
performed on the data obtained from the B 564.4 537.5 542.9 548.3
first two tests. ANOVA was first used
C 782.2 790 822.4 798.2
followed by the t-test.
D 396.5 434 365.0 398.5
RESULT AND DISCUSSION E 307.5 310 322.9 313.5

Three different tests were
performed on the sheets produced from
cogon grass. They were the breaking Table 2. Results obtained from the water retention test
strength, water retention, and qualitative
tests. Statistical analysis performed on TREATMENT TRIAL1(g) TRIAL 2(g) TRIAL 3(g) AVERAGE(g)
the data gathered from these tests A 0.35 0.37 0.41 0.38
B 1.30 1.25 1.23 1.26
revealed treatment C was the best
C 0.25 0.23 .027 0.25
treatment. D 0.02 0.10 0.10 0.07
ANOVA test showed significant E 0.10 0.09 0.10 0.10
differences among the treatments in the
breaking strength test. To determine the
strongest sample, t-test was performed
SELECTED REFERENCES
individually and results showed treatment
C was able to withstand the greatest Lampe, Klaus. 1991. Making
amount of weights and was therefore, the Paper from Rice Straw. International
RESEARCHERS:
strongest. Similar test performed on the
Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Vanessa Gabieta
data obtained from water retention test
Baos, Laguna. Hazel Pascual
showed that treatment D absorbed least
Jericho Leo Reyes
of the water placed on it, meaning it was McGraw-Hill Science and
Cecily Claire Tiu
the most water-resistant. This may be due
Technology Encyclopedia. 1981. New Mildred Uy
to the presence of starch which D had in
the abundance. York: McGraw-Hill Book, Co.
ADVISER
The panelists preferred treatment Rakka, M.M. et al. Blending
Ms. Juanita Cruz
B followed by treatments C and A.
Rice Straw Pulp with Some Egyptian Philippine Science High School
All the tests taken into
Flora. Research and Industry 30(2): Quezon City
consideration, the researchers concluded
that the best treatment was treatment C. 102-106.
18 FRESHMAN

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I N C O O P E R AT I O N W I T H T H E

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLGY

The Feasiblity of Cogon

RESULT AND DISCUSSION E 307.5 310 322.9 313.5

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