Bioplastics

These days plastics are predominantly made from crude oil. In this context, renewable resources are becoming a more viable and promising alternative for the plastics industry. When plastics made from petroleum are burned, they release the carbon dioxide contained in the petroleum into the atmosphere, leading to global warming. The use of bioplastics offers significant advantages not only in an ecological sense but also in an economical sense.

Bioplastics are a form of plastics derived from plant sources such as sweet potatoes, sugarcane, hemp oil, soy bean oil and corn starch. Bioplastics are environmentally friendly because, compared with traditional plastics, their production results in the emission of less carbon dioxide, which is thought to cause global warming. They are also biodegradable, meaning that the material returns to its natural state when buried in the ground. If something made of bioplastic is buried in the ground, microorganisms will break it down into carbon dioxide and water. Bags made of bioplastic can be thrown away and buried with other biodegradable garbage, and there are a growing number of other uses for the materials as well, including artificial fibers, medical products, and construction materials.

To make a bioplastics we can use enzymes as a tools. Enzymes are used to break starch in the plants down into glucose, which is fermented and made into lactic acid. This lactic acid is polymerized and converted into a plastic called polylactic acid, which can be used in the manufacture of products after being heated and shaped. 

Application of Bioplastics

1. Packaging
The use of bioplastics for shopping bags is already very common. After their initial use they can be reused as bags for organic waste and then be composted. Trays and containers for fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat, bottles for soft drinks and dairy products and blister foils for fruit and vegetables are also already widely manufactured from bioplastics. 
2. Sanitary Products
Due to their specific characteristics, bioplastics are used as a basis for the production of sanitary products. These materials are breathable and allow water vapor to permeate, but at the same time they are waterproof. Foils made of soft bioplastic are already used as diaper foil, bed underlay, for incontinence products, ladies sanitary products and as disposable gloves.  
3. Medical Products
In comparison to packaging products, the medical sector sets out completely different requirements with regards to products made of renewable and reabsorbing plastics. 
The highest possible qualitative standards have to be met and guaranteed, resulting in an extremely high costs, which sometimes exceed 1.000 Euro per kilo. 
The potential applications of biodegradable or reabsorbing bioplastics are manifold.