Nature’s fight against plastic pollution: Algae for plastic biodegradation and bioplastics production

Chia, Wen Yi; Tang, Doris Ying Ying; Khoo, Kuan Shiong; Lup, Andrew Ng Kay; Chew, Kit Wayne

doi:10.1016/j.ese.2020.100065

Cited by 271 publications

(129 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…New composites were formed by combination of microalgal biomass and petroleum. (Cinar et al 2020;Chia et al 2020). The PHB production is feasible in microalgae used as bioreactors by the introduction of bacterial pathways into microalgal cells (Hempel 2011) (Fig.…”

Section: Algae-based Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioplastic from Renewable Biomass: A Facile Solution for a Greener Environment

et al. 2021

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Environmental pollutions are increasing day by day due to more plastic application. The plastic material is going in our food chain as well as the environment employing microplastic and other plastic-based contaminants. From this point, bio-based plastic research is taking attention for a sustainable and greener environment with a lower footprint on the environment. This evaluation should be made considering the whole life cycle assessment of the proposed technologies to make a whole range of biomaterials. Bio-based and biodegradable bioplastics can have similar features as conventional plastics while providing extra returns because of their low carbon footprint as long as additional features in waste management, like composting. Interest in competitive biodegradable materials is growing to limit environmental pollution and waste management problems. Bioplastics are defined as plastics deriving from biological sources and formed from renewable feedstocks or by a variation of microbes, owing to the ability to reduce the environmental effect. The research and development in this field of bio-renewable resources can seriously lead to the adoption of a low-carbon economy in medical, packaging, structural and automotive engineering, just to mention a few. This review aims to give a clear insight into the research, application opportunities, sourcing and sustainability, and environmental footprint of bioplastics production and various applications. Bioplastics are manufactured from polysaccharides, mainly starch-based, proteins, and other alternative carbon sources, such as algae or even wastewater treatment byproducts. The most known bioplastic today is thermoplastic starch, mainly as a result of enzymatic bioreactions. In this work, the main applications of bioplastics are accounted. One of them being food applications, where bioplastics seem to meet the food industry concerns about many the packaging-related issues and appear to play an important part for the whole food industry sustainability, helping to maintain high-quality standards throughout the whole production and transport steps, translating into cleaner and smarter delivery chains and waste management. High perspectives resides in agricultural and medical applications, while the number of fields of applications grows constantly, for example, structural engineering and electrical applications. As an example, bio-composites, even from vegetable oil sources, have been developed as fibers with biodegradable features and are constantly under research.

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Section: Algae-based Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioplastic from Renewable Biomass: A Facile Solution for a Greener Environment

et al. 2021

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“…Other direct or indirect environmental benefits and ecosystem services of seaweeds and/or microalgae include (i) providing habitats for fish and other marine organisms; (ii) serving as a buffer against strong wave action to protect the shoreline; (iii) reducing overfishing through providing alternative livelihoods to fishing communities; (iv) improving soil conditions and potentially reducing agricultural pesticides through seaweed-based biofertilizer or biostimulants (Nabti, Jha and Hartmann, 2017;El Boukhari et al, 2020); and (v) producing readily biodegradable goods and packaging (Chia et al, 2020); among others (Hasselström et al, 2018;Barbier et al, 2019).…”

Section: Environmental Benefits and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seaweeds and microalgae: an overview for unlocking their potential in global aquaculture development

2021

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The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO.

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“…The focus on biopolymers such as CS has increased due to the shortage of the fossil fuel reserve and the environmental impact induced by the accumulation of non-biodegradable plastic-based traditional packaging materials. This serious problem affects not only marine life but also humans, as microplastics can enter the food chain and eventually harm health [ 74 ]. It has been predicted that the global turnover of bioplastic manufacturing will increase 2.6 times from 2017 to 2022, reaching US $43.87 [ 75 ].…”

Section: Chitosan (Cs)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Fascinating Polysaccharides: Chitosan and Starch. Some Prominent Characterizations for Applying as Eco-Friendly Food Packaging and Pollutant Remover in Aqueous Medium. Progress in Recent Years: A Review

2021

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The call to use biodegradable, eco-friendly materials is urgent. The use of biopolymers as a replacement for the classic petroleum-based materials is increasing. Chitosan and starch have been widely studied with this purpose: to be part of this replacement. The importance of proper physical characterization of these biopolymers is essential for the intended application. This review focuses on characterizations of chitosan and starch, approximately from 2017 to date, in one of their most-used applications: food packaging for chitosan and as an adsorbent agent of pollutants in aqueous medium for starch.

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Nature’s fight against plastic pollution: Algae for plastic biodegradation and bioplastics production

Cited by 271 publications

References 79 publications

Bioplastic from Renewable Biomass: A Facile Solution for a Greener Environment

Bioplastic from Renewable Biomass: A Facile Solution for a Greener Environment

Seaweeds and microalgae: an overview for unlocking their potential in global aquaculture development

Two Fascinating Polysaccharides: Chitosan and Starch. Some Prominent Characterizations for Applying as Eco-Friendly Food Packaging and Pollutant Remover in Aqueous Medium. Progress in Recent Years: A Review

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