Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 2 Sunway Centre for Electrochemical Energy and Sustainable Technology (SCEEST), School of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 3 School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Biological Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya 47500, Selangor, Malaysia; Sunway Microbiome Centre, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor 47500, Malaysia. Electronic address: yoonyeny@sunway.edu.my
Int J Biol Macromol, 2024 Sep 07.
PMID: 39256129 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.135205

Abstract

Rising concerns around plastic pollution from single-use plastic (SUPs), especially food packaging, have driven interest in sustainable alternatives. As such, algae biomass has gained attention for bioplastic production due to algae's rapid growth and abundant polysaccharides. This research focuses on extracting carrageenan from Kappaphycus alvarezii, extensively cultivated in Sabah, Malaysia, and utilizing it in combination with starch and glycerol to develop algae-based films. The physicochemical properties and degradation rate of these films were evaluated, revealing that the addition of carrageenan enhanced overall thermal stability meanwhile increasing water solubility, water content but reducing the degradation rate and swelling degree. This is primarily due to the crystalline structures of carrageenan, which provide a more rigid arrangement compared to the network of starch polymers. However, the incorporation of starch into the blends has enhanced the elongation and surface morphology, resulting in more balanced properties. Overall, these carrageenan films displayed impressive thermal, mechanical, and biodegradability characteristics, establishing their viability as substitutes for conventional plastics.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.