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THE UTILIZATION OF PARAGIS GRASS (Eleusine indica) AS CELLULOSE-BASED BIOPLASTIC FILM
Summary
Researchers created bioplastic films from cellulose pulp extracted from Paragis grass (Eleusine indica), a common invasive weed, using corn starch as a binding agent. They found that increasing cellulose content improved the mechanical properties of the films, suggesting the weed could serve as a low-cost, biodegradable alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging. The study demonstrates a practical approach to producing bio-based plastics from agricultural waste.
The goal of this research is to create biodegradable plastics made from Paragis grass (Eleusine indica) cellulose-pulp that can be used as alternatives to traditional plastics. The bioplastics were made by combining cellulose pulp from paragis grass leaves, sorbitol, acetic acid, and corn starch, with a constant amount of 8g corn starch and varying amounts of cellulose pulp (20g, 30g, and 40g), as well as 10ml sorbitol and 3 ml acetic acid. Collection and processing of paragis grass, cellulose pulp manufacturing, and bioplastic film manufacture were some of the methods used. Tensile strength, biodegradability, water absorption, and water solubility tests are used to characterize bioplastic. The mechanical properties testing shown that bioplastic produced with variation of corn starch to paragis grass cellulose pulp ratio had a tensile strength of 0.549 MPa, 0.878 MPa and 1.03 MPa; elongation at break (%) of 7.33%, 6.97% and 6.54%; biodegradability (weight loss) of 91.65%; 90.05%; and 69.46%; water absorption (weight gain) of 91.80%, 83.06% and 53.74%; and water solubility (weight loss) of 86.96%, 66.46% and54.91% respectively. The study found that Treatment 3 (40g paragis grass) has higher tensile strength (1.03 MPa) and tear strength, ability to degrade in four weeks, low water absorption (53.74%), and water solubility (54.91%).The result showed that cellulose-pulp from Paragis grass leaves could be used to make bioplastic. This research would aid in the reduction of plastic waste that pollutes the Earth’s soil, air, and water, as well as the mitigation of its consequences. It can also help reduce environmental pollution by using biodegradable plastic.