Characterization of biodegradable seaweed-based film from Kappaphycus alvarezii incorporating aloe vera gel as a plasticizer

Introduction.Plastic packaging materials have been the perennial cause of global plastic pollution, highlighting the urgent need for alternative biodegradable substitutes.This study explored the potential of using aloe vera gel (AVG) as a sustainable plasticizer for Kappaphycus alvarezii-based films, comparing it to a traditional glycerol plasticizer.Materials and methods.Different concentrations of AVG (10, 20 and 30%) were tested to prepare biodegradable films, and the properties of these films including water solubility, mechanical properties (tensile strength and elongation at break), biodegradability, and microbial load were evaluated.Results and discussion.The results show that AVG concentration significantly affects film characteristics.Water solubility was significantly reduced with 20% and 30% AVG, showing values of 18.87% and 26.57%, respectively, compared to 84.87% for the control and 84.02% for 10% AVG.Notably, a lower concentration of AVG (10%) resulted in the highest tensile strength (61.64 N/mm), while higher plasticizer concentrations exhibited lower values corresponding to 35.60 N/mm and 29.90 N/mm for 20% and 30% AVG, respectively.In addition, the elongation at break was significantly reduced in treatments with AVG (1.37% -3.07%) when compared to the control (17.81%), indicating increased brittleness of the film with AVG.However, AVG enhanced the biodegradability at all concentrations, with more than 50% of the films decomposed within 12 days, exceeding the 37.63% biodegradability of the control.Furthermore, 10% AVG significantly reduced microbial load to 1 colony forming units per g, demonstrating antimicrobial properties compared to the control.Conclusions.The study concluded that Kappaphycus alvarezii and aloe vera gel are promising components for the development of biodegradable films.K. alvarezii provides a strong and adaptable film matrix, while aloe vera gel serves as an effective alternative plasticizer.Further research is recommended to explore the potential application of these films as edible food packaging materials.