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A Preliminary Evaluation on the Development of Edible Drinking Straw from Guso (Eucheuma cottonii) Seaweeds
Summary
Researchers developed edible drinking straws from Guso seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii) with different plasticizer concentrations and evaluated their biodegradability, strength, and water resistance. Replacing single-use plastic straws with edible, biodegradable alternatives reduces the plastic waste that enters aquatic environments and eventually fragments into microplastics.
This study aims to develop edible drinking straws using Guso seaweeds with varying plasticizer concentrations such as 25% glycerol (M1), 30% glycerol (M2), 25% sorbitol (M3), and 30% sorbitol (M4) (w/v basis). Straws are assessed for biodegradability, water absorption, tensile strength, elongation, hardness, and adhesiveness. Plasticizer type and concentration do not significantly affect hardness and adhesiveness. Glycerol-plasticized straws degrade faster than sorbitol-plasticized samples. M1 absorbs less water (44.69%) than M3 (58.86%). Higher sorbitol concentration enhances tensile strength and elongation from 124.10 MPa to 179.50 MPa and 15% to 22.70% for M3 and M4, respectively. Conversely, more glycerol reduces tensile strength but increases elongation. In summary, this preliminary study highlights the potential of Guso seaweeds for fabricating drinking straws. However, further research is needed to fully harness the possibilities offered by these resources.
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