Sto.

Nino National Highschool

STARCH AND GLYCERINE BASED PLASTIC/BIOPLASTIC: AN ALTERNATIVE FOR

COMERCIALLY-MADE PLASTIC TO THE BARANGAY DUNGAO OF STO. NIÑO,

CAGAYAN

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A Research Topic Outline Presented to the Faculty of

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics of

Sto. Niño National High School

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In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for

RESEARCH

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By:

Levi Valenzuela V.

Roger Buco G.

Jeffrey Lorenzo C.

Mark Christian Mateo T.

Jerald Paul Ramos B.

Alderey John Desamito D.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication………………………………………………………………………...Page 3

CHAPTER I

Background of the study……………………………………………………..Page 4

Statement of the problem…………………………………………………….Page 5

Scope and Delimitation………………………………………………………Page 6

Significance of the study……………………………………………………. Page 6

Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………Page 7

Null Hypothesis………………………………………………………………Page 7

Alternative Hypothesis……………………………………………………….Page 7

CHAPTER II

Review Related Literature……………………………………………………Page 8

CHAPTER III

Methodology………………………………………………………………….Page 14

Research Design …………..………………………………………...……......Page 14

Sampling ……...………………………………………...…………………….Page 14

Data collection and procedure ……………………………………………......Page 15

References…………………………………………………………………….Page 16

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DEDICATION

First of all, the researchers would like to thank our almighty God, who not just always up there

watching them but instead always with them along the way,making them feel strong all throughout the

process, forever there, because truly with him, nothing is impossible. For his spiritual guidance,

knowledge, strength, and protection he have given to the researchers. The researchers would like to

express their heartfelt thanks to the persons who in one way or another, have shared their time,

knowledge, talent, and support for this project.

To the proponent’s parents : Mr. and Mrs. Ramos, Mr. and Mrs. Buco, Mr. and Mrs. Valenzuela,

Mr. and Mrs. Mateo, Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo, Mr. and Mrs. Desamito for the moral and financial support

given to the researchers and the ethical support that helped a lot in making this research possible.

To the researchers adviser, Sir Ralph Rhandall Espejo, for his patience in teaching them what they

need to learn not only in conducting the study but also with the strategies needed to finish the research

proposal even in a short amount of time.

And to all whom we/the researchers failed to mention but have contributed to the completion of this

proposal, we are very grateful for your waving support, we are truly thankful for the help contributed to

our research study.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

For many centuries, the maize grain known as corn has provided the world with an important

source of food which can be grown easily and economicaly. With the future preservation of the planet

becoming an increasingly important global phenomenon, corn has gained an additional role as vitaly

important crop. Corn is one of the most important staple crops in the Philippines. It ranks as second to

rice in the utilization of agricultural resources. It is used not only for human consumption but also in

animal feeds and industrial uses, hence it is a vital crop in the development of the livestock and

manufacturing industries.

Cornstarch is the starch of the corn grain and has taken on the principle role in the production of

BIOPLASTICS. Bioplastics, also known as organic plastics are a form of plastic derived from renewable

biomass source (such as cornstarch) rather than fossil fuel plastics which are derived from petroleum.

Plastic industry is considered as one os the most important industries because this is an important

factor in making some useful products like sheets, tubes, slabs,etc. How ever, this causes environmental

polution having more waste in our environment. Nowadays, it is very visible that the use of plastics are

evident and this leads to the detriment of our environment. Since this is non-biodegradable, it would need

a longer time to decay and it also contains chemicals which can harm us.But, we can do something to help

our environment. One way is creating biodegradable plastics out of fruit

wastes, like cornstarch, banana peel, etc. Biodegradable plastics can be defined as plastics made of

biomass and biodegradable materials. It can replace petroleum based plastics and it is believed to be

successful solution to increase the efficiency of plastics industry. The main advantage of biodegradable

plastics over conventional plastics is that it’s easier to decay or absorb by the soil without creating any

pollution. Biodegradable plastics can be reused more efficiently and have any chemicals or toxins.

Bioplastics are plastic materials produced from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats

and oils, corn starch, straw, woodchips, sawdust, recycled food waste, etc. Bioplastic can be made from

agricultural by-products and also from used plastics (i.e. plastic bottles and other containers) by using

microorganisms. Bioplastics are usually derived from sugar derivatives, including starch, cellulose, and

lactic acid. Common plastics, such as fossil-fuel plastics (also called petrobased polymers) are derived

from petroleum or natural gas.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study intends to reduce the usage of commercially made plastics by using bio-plastic as

alternative so that it will lessen the toxic substances that are released into the soil when plastic bags perish

under sunlight and if it is burned.

The researchers seek to answer the following:

1. Is bioplastic good for our community as an alternative for commercially made plastics?

2. What are the good effects of bioplastics in our community?

3. Compare the properties of bio-plastic from commercial plastic in terms of;

b.) Tear Resistance

c.) Appearance

d.) Texture

e.) Odour

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The study is delimited to studying the advantages of corn starch and glycerine-based

bio-plastics as alternative for comercially made plastics to the community of Sto Nino Cagayan. This

study will be conducted only around the barangay Dungao, Sto. Niño, Cagayan. It will also determine if

the bioplastics are eco-friendly and can reduce the pollution of the community.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This findings on this study will be beneficial to the following:

 Barangay officials – this will help them lessen their work in segregating commercially

made plastics because bio-plastics are easily decomposed.

 Residents of the community – because bio-plastics do produce significantly fewer

greenhouse gas emissions than traditional plastics over their lifetime and it will lessen the

health risk that are caused by the pollution coming from the burned plastics.

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HYPOTHESIS

Is the bio-plastic better than commercially made plastic?

NULL HYPOTHESIS

There is no significant difference between bio-plastic and commercially-made plastic except the

decomposition.

ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS

There is a significant difference between bio-plastic and commercially-made plastic in their tear

resistance.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Subido (2019), Philippines ranks in 3rd place in terms of plastic pollution. Filipinos use163

million plastic sachet packets, 48 million of plastic bag and 45 million of wrappers and thin film bags in a

day. In 2019, a pregnant whale was found dead and when the scientists inspect the cadaver of the animal,

they found 50 pounds (ca. 23 kg) of plastic in its stomach. The environmentalists were alarmed, and they

informed people about the effects of using plastic, and they also suggest that people should use bio plastic

as an alternative to conventional plastic. According to Parker (2018), More than 6.9 Billion of tons of

plastics are collected each year and it accumulates our ocean. There are many species that are suffering

from excessive waste of plastic. Mike Wright; Ashley Kirk; Mark Molloy; Emma Mills (2018), indicated

that it will take 1000 years in order for the plastic to decompose and it poses a number of hazards to the

environment. .But according to BBC Science Focus, biodegradable plastics takes only three to six months

to fully decompose , far quicker than the commercially made plastics.

Plastic pollution is a planetary threat, affecting nearly every marine and freshwater ecosystem

globally. In response, multilevel mitigation strategies are being adopted but with a lack of quantitative

assessment of how such strategies reduce plastic emissions. We assessed the impact of three broad

management strategies, plastic waste reduction, waste management, and environmental recovery, at

different levels of effort to estimate plastic emissions to 2030 for 173 countries. We estimate that 19 to 23

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million metric tons, or 11%, of plastic waste generated globally in 2016 entered aquatic

ecosystems.

Considering the ambitious commitments currently set by governments, annual emissions may reach up to

53 million metric tons per year by 2030. To reduce emissions to a level well below this prediction,

extraordinary efforts to transform the global plastics economy are needed. (Science 369 (6510), 1515-

1518, 2020).

Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing problem. To estimate the effectiveness of

interventions to reduce plastic pollution, we modelled stocks and flows of municipal solid waste and four

sources of micro plastics through the global plastic system for five scenarios between 2016 and 2040.

Implementing all feasible interventions reduced plastic pollution by 40% from 2016 rates and 78%

relative to “business as usual” in 2040. Even with immediate and concerted action, 710 million metric

tons of plastic waste cumulatively entered aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. To avoid a massive build-up

of plastic in the environment, coordinated global action is urgently needed to reduce plastic consumption;

increase rates of reuse, waste collection, and recycling; expand safe disposal systems; and accelerate

innovation in the plastic value chain. (Science 369 (6510), 1455-1461, 2020 )

The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the

global plastics industry. However, rapid growth in global plastic production was not realized until the

1950s. Over the next 65 years, annual production of plastics increased nearly 200-fold to 381 million

tonnes in 2015. For context, this is roughly equivalent to the mass of two-thirds of the world population.

(Our world in data, 2018)

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The excessive production and consumption of plastic has serious consequences

on the environment and human health. The reduction of plastic has therefore become a major global

challenge.

As technical solutions might be insufficient to curb the problem, a perspective highlighting the

impact of human behavior is needed. The current literature review provides an overview of the existing

social-scientific literature on plastic, ranging from risk awareness, consumers' preferences, and predictors

of usage behavior to political and psychological intervention strategies. By reviewing the literature, we

aim to identify potential factors for future interventions to reduce plastic consumption. The 187 studies

reviewed show that people much appreciate and routinely use plastic, despite a pronounced awareness of

the associated problems. Habits, norms, and situational factors seem to be especially predictive for plastic

consumption behavior. Both political and psychological interventions are potentially effective, although

long-term effects are often uncertain. The review closes with implications for behavior-based solutions

and future research, which should combine interdisciplinary approaches and take into account cultural

differences. (Science of the total environment 668, 1077-1093, 2019.)

As plastic waste accumulates in the ocean at alarming rates, the need for efficient and sustainable

remediation solutions is urgent. One solution is the development and mobilization of technologies that

either 1) prevent plastics from entering waterways or 2) collect marine and riverine plastic pollution. To

date, however, few reports have focused on these technologies, and information on various technological

developments is scattered. This leaves policymakers, innovators, and researchers without a central,

comprehensive, and reliable source of information on the status of available technology to target this

global problem. The goal of this study was to address this gap by creating a comprehensive inventory of

technologies currently used or in development to prevent the leakage of plastic pollution or collect

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existing plastic pollution. Our Plastic Pollution Prevention and Collection Technology

Inventory (https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/plastics-technology-inventory) can be used as a roadmap for

researchers and governments to 1) facilitate comparisons between the scope of solutions and the breadth

and severity of the plastic pollution problem and 2) assist in identifying strengths and weaknesses

of current technological approaches. We created this inventory from a systematic search and review of

resources that identified technologies. Technologies were organized by the type of technology and target

plastics (i.e., macroplastics, microplastic, or both). We identified 52 technologies that fall into the two

categories of prevention or collection of plastic pollution. Of these, 59% focus specifically on collecting

macroplastic waste already in waterways. While these efforts to collect plastic pollution are laudable,

their current capacity and widespread implementation are limited in comparison to their potential and the

vast extent of the plastic pollution problem. Similarly, few technologies attempt to prevent plastic

pollution leakage, and those that do are limited in scope. A comprehensive approach is needed that

combines technology, policymaking, and advocacy to prevent further plastic pollution and the subsequent

damage to aquatic ecosystems and human health. (Environment International 144, 106067, 2020.)

Bio plastic is a term too broad to use and describe a wide range of plastic materials that’re either

derived from renewable resource or biodegradable or both. So it is generalize into three groups according

to their properties: bio-based and biodegradable bio pl okastics, bio-based l (non-biodegradable) bio

plastics, petrochemical-based and biodegradable bio plastics. Bio- Based and biodegradable bio plastic

are mad e using renewable resource, an example is plant biomass, and under certain environmental

conditions, it will biodegrade. Bio- Based and durable bio plastics are made also using renewable

resource but are design to have longer lifespan. The use of renewable resource makes these kind of bio

plastic more sustainable. Petro- Chemical based and biodegradable bio plastics are materials which are

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petrochemical- Based but can be biodegraded by microbes in the ocean, compost or

soil. (Science Learning Hub, 2013)

Plastic waste production around the world is increasing, which leads to global plastic waste

pollution. The need for an innovative solution to reduce this pollution is inevitable. Increased recycling of

plastic waste alone is not a comprehensive solution. Furthermore, decreasing fossil-based plastic usage is

an important aspect of sustainability. As an alternative to fossil-based plastics in the market, bio-based

plastics are gaining in popularity. According to the studies conducted, products with similar performance

characteristics can be obtained using biological feedstocks instead of fossil-based sources. In particular,

bioplastic production from microalgae is a new opportunity to be explored and further improved. The aim

of this study is to determine the current state of bioplastic production technologies from microalgae

species and reveal possible optimization opportunities in the process and application areas. Therefore, the

species used as resources for bioplastic production, the microalgae cultivation methods and bioplastic

material production methods from microalgae were summarized.( Int. J. Environ. Res. Public

Health 2020, 17(11), 3842;)

As a result of increasing environmental concerns/legislative pressure for dumping of non-

biodegradable plastics in landfills and rapid increases in the cost of petroleum, the development of

“environmental friendly” materials has attracted extensive interest. Recently, bioplastics are one of the

most innovative environmental friendly materials developed. This review paper is intended to provide

information about alternative to conventional plastics for the betterment of earth environment. They have

some advantages such as lower carbon footprint, independence, energy efficiency, and eco-safety. For the

sustainability, recycling systems and production technology may be developed for bioplastics and by-
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product should be used for their production. It is concluded that the use of bioplastics

will help in sustainability and national development thus, making the environment less overwhelmed with

greenhouse gases and reduction of waste biomass. And finally recommended by the reviewers that use of

biomass for

plastics production should be embraced especially those found to be biodegradable and use of

petro plastics be incapacitated. Ibrahim Muhammad Shamsuddin et al. (2017)

Bio-plastics are long chain of monomers joined with each other by ester bond; these plastics are

thus considered as polyesters. Bio-plastics are classified in to variety of types. Out of all the most

common is PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoate), which remains as a carbon and/or energy storage material in

various microorganisms under the condition of deficient nutritional element. There are variety of bio-

plastic applications to the society and industries. This review paper is intended to provide information

about alternative to conventional plastics for the betterment of earth environment. (M Gill - Int. J. Res.

Appl. Nat. Soc. Sci, 2014 )

Today, bio-plastics are becoming increasingly prominent owing mainly to scarcity of oil, increase

in the cost of petroleum-based commodities, and growing environmental concerns with the dumping of

non-biodegradable plastics in landfills. In this paper, we first discuss the definition and basic facts as well

as the major advantages of bio-plastics, then the main differences between plastics and bio-plastics in

packaging are reviewed. Finally, possible future developments of bio-plastics are prospected. (YJ Chen -

Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2013)

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The experimental research design will be used in this study where three samples or experiments

will be monitored to identify which among the three is likely to produce the most efficient bio-plastic.

The basic research instruments that will be used in collecting the data will be observation checklists

constructed before making the experiments considering the appearance, texture, and the odour of the

experiments.

Participants

This study intends to interview a total of 100 people and the age of participants will be rangimg

from 21-50 years old and all are in apparent good health.

Sampling techniques

We will use stratified sampling in selecting 100 people from Barangay Dungao. We will separate
those who will prefer bio-plastic from those who prefer to use commercially-made bioplastics.

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Data Collection and Procedure

The data collection of the study will proceed through observations. The data will be documented

without any uncertainty to avoid false information or errors in the data collection. Also, well-developed

communication between the researchers will help in detecting errors immediately.

In conducting the study, the researchers will, first, combine the corn starch and acetic acid or vinegar in

a beaker before adding water and glycerine from the original solution. Each will have certain amount

determined by the researchers during the study.

The researchers will create three solutions of corn starch, water, vinegar, and glycerine with

various measurements, respectively, to identify which solution will produce the strongest biodegradable

plastic. The solutions in the beakers will be heated in a cauldron and will be stirred continuously until it

reached the desired thickness.

The solutions will increase its viscosity or thickened when heated and will continuously stir

because the heat from the cauldron will force the particles and molecules of the corn starch and other

ingredients to contract. The glycerine will help the solution to hold the viscosity while the vinegar will

convert the corn starch back into its component sugars. The water, on the other hand, will control the

thickness of the solution. When the solution slightly boiled and thickened, we will remove the solution

from the heat and respectively spread the solution with equal and even thickness, if possible, pour the

solution in a flat and smooth surface. Let the solution dry up in 2-5 days. After drying, bio-plastics film

with different strength and tear resistance will be formed.

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References:

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1515.abstract

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1455.abstract

https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution?utm_source=newsletter

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969719309519

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/11/3842

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ibrahim-Shamsuddin-

2/publication/321649504_Bioplastics_as_Better_Alternative_to_Petroplastics_and_Their_Role_in_National_Sust

ainability_A_Review/links/5b37a453aca2720785fa71dd/Bioplastics-as-Better-Alternative-to-Petroplastics-and-

Their-Role-in-National-Sustainability-A-Review.pdf

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