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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to An Innovative Alternative to Plastic Straws with Bacterial Cellulose
ClearA hydrophobic and degradable straw based on the ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose
Researchers developed a hydrophobic and biodegradable straw made from ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose as a microplastic-free alternative to conventional disposable plastic straws. The cellulose-based straw achieved the hydrophobicity needed for beverage use while remaining biodegradable, offering a sustainable substitute that avoids microplastic shedding during use and disposal.
An ethyl cellulose-coated bacterial cellulose based hydrophobic and degradable straw-like materials towards drinking straws
Researchers developed a microplastic-free drinking straw by coating bacterial cellulose with ethyl cellulose, achieving strong mechanical performance (66.82 MPa bending strength), water-repellent surfaces, and complete soil biodegradation within 20 days — outperforming conventional polylactic acid straws on both durability and environmental decomposition.
Edible, Ultrastrong, and Microplastic‐Free Bacterial Cellulose‐Based Straws by Biosynthesis
Researchers developed a new type of drinking straw made from bacterial cellulose that is edible, free of microplastics, and mechanically stronger than paper straws. The straw uses an alginate coating instead of adhesives and has a three-dimensional nanofiber structure that outperforms commercially available alternatives. This biosynthesized straw offers a healthier and more environmentally friendly replacement for disposable plastic straws.
Growing Strong Polysaccharide-Derived Edible Straws with an Inherent Structural Binder via Biomanufacturing
Researchers developed edible straws made from bacterial cellulose and starch using a biomanufacturing approach, as an alternative to plastic straws that contribute to microplastic pollution. The straws demonstrated strong mechanical performance, maintaining their structure in both hot and cold beverages for extended periods. The study suggests that bio-manufactured food-contact materials could help reduce reliance on conventional plastics and the associated microplastic risks.
Production of Cost-Effective Biodegradable Straw
Researchers developed a biodegradable drinking straw made from natural, chemical-free materials as an alternative to plastic straws. Plastic straws are a common source of single-use plastic pollution and potential microplastic generation in marine environments.
Bacterial cellulose biopolymers: The sustainable solution to water-polluting microplastics
Researchers developed bacterial cellulose (BC) biopolymer filters as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polymer filters used in wastewater treatment plant microplastic removal. BC filters showed high MP capture efficiency and are biodegradable, addressing both microplastic pollution and the environmental costs of conventional synthetic filter maintenance.
Applications of regenerated bacterial cellulose: a review
This review examines bacterial cellulose as a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymers that contribute to microplastic pollution. Bacterial cellulose is biodegradable, renewable, and has strong mechanical properties, making it suitable for packaging, textiles, and biomedical applications. The study highlights recent advances in processing techniques that could make bacterial cellulose more commercially viable as a replacement for plastics in everyday products.
Development of functional bacterial cellulose composites from Kombucha waste for biodegradable food packaging
Researchers produced bacterial cellulose composite films from kombucha production waste, modifying them with antimicrobial and structural agents to create biodegradable food packaging. The composites showed adequate mechanical and barrier properties, offering a sustainable alternative to petrochemical packaging that avoids microplastic generation during degradation.
Development of functional bacterial cellulose composites from Kombucha waste for biodegradable food packaging
Researchers developed biodegradable food packaging films from bacterial cellulose grown in kombucha waste, chemically enhancing the material to achieve stronger mechanical strength and better moisture and oxygen barriers than unmodified cellulose. Unlike conventional plastic packaging that persists for centuries, these films broke down within months, offering a practical way to reduce microplastic pollution from food packaging.
Ecological packaging: Creating sustainable solutions with all-natural biodegradable cellulose materials
Researchers developed a pure cellulose food packaging material by combining bacterial cellulose and ethyl cellulose — both natural, biodegradable materials — into a strong, water-resistant film that degrades naturally and avoids the microplastic pollution associated with conventional single-use plastic packaging. The material's mechanical strength, water resistance, and recyclability position it as a practical plastic replacement for food packaging.
Biotechnology in Food Packaging Using Bacterial Cellulose
This review explores bacterial cellulose as a biodegradable, biocompatible alternative to conventional plastic food packaging, which contributes to micro- and nanoplastic pollution that threatens both the environment and human health. While bacterial cellulose shows strong potential due to its mechanical strength and food preservation abilities, scaling up production remains a challenge due to higher costs and manufacturing difficulties.
A Preliminary Evaluation on the Development of Edible Drinking Straw from Guso (Eucheuma cottonii) Seaweeds
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.
All-natural, hydrophobic, biodegradable cellulose-based straws through simultaneous esterification and filling with stearic acid for cold beverages
Researchers developed a biodegradable, all-natural straw made from bleached bamboo fibers and stearic acid as an alternative to plastic straws that generate microplastics. The straw achieved strong hydrophobicity, worked well in cold beverages including tea, coffee, and milk, and fully degraded in soil within 50 days. The study offers a promising green alternative that avoids both the microplastic pollution from plastic straws and the chemical additives used in conventional paper straws.
Bio-based alternatives to plastic drinking straws: are they more environmentally benign and consumer preferred?
This study evaluated bio-based alternatives to conventional plastic drinking straws, assessing the environmental footprint of paper and polylactic acid straws versus plastic and comparing their functional properties including user experience.
Edible Straws as Promising Biodegradable Alternatives to Single-Use Plastics: A Comprehensive Review
Single-use plastic straws are a small but symbolic part of the microplastics problem, and this review surveys research into edible straws as a biodegradable alternative, covering materials ranging from cassava starch and seaweed to cellulose and proteins. Lab results are promising — cellulose-based versions show good strength, seaweed-based ones biodegrade quickly, and life cycle analyses confirm ecological advantages over plastic — but challenges including high production costs, short shelf life, and lack of regulatory standards are holding back commercial adoption. The review concludes that realizing the potential of edible straws will require coordination across material science, food engineering, and policy.
In Situ Synthesis of Plasticized Bacterial Cellulose Films for Daily Packaging Using Biobased Plasticizers
Researchers synthesized plasticized bacterial cellulose films in situ and characterized their mechanical, optical, and barrier properties for daily packaging applications, finding the bio-based materials offered competitive performance with lower environmental impact than petroleum-based alternatives.
Microplastic and adhesive free, multifunctional, circular economy approach-based biomass-derived drinking straws
Researchers developed drinking straws made from rice straw waste that are free of microplastics and adhesives. The study suggests these bio-based straws are water-stable, heat-resistant, antibacterial, and biodegradable, with a dramatically lower carbon footprint than metal or polylactic acid alternatives, turning agricultural waste into a useful consumer product.
Bacterial cellulose: A smart biomaterial for biomedical applications
This review covers bacterial cellulose, a natural material produced by bacteria that has unique properties like high purity, biodegradability, and excellent water retention. It shows promise for medical uses including wound healing, drug delivery, and tissue engineering as a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials. As concerns grow about microplastic contamination from synthetic polymers in medical products, biodegradable alternatives like bacterial cellulose become increasingly relevant.
Citric acid cross-linked regenerated bacterial cellulose as biodegradable and biocompatible film for food packaging
Researchers developed biodegradable packaging films from regenerated bacterial cellulose cross-linked with citric acid. The films showed good mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Bacterial cellulose-based packaging could serve as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic films and reduce microplastic generation from food packaging.
In Situ Fermentation of an Ultra-Strong, Microplastic-Free, and Biodegradable Multilayer Bacterial Cellulose Film for Food Packaging
Researchers developed an ultra-strong, biodegradable multilayer bacterial cellulose film for food packaging using an in situ fermentation approach with gellan gum assistance. The study presents a microplastic-free alternative to conventional plastic packaging that incorporates antibacterial properties through quaternary ammonium chitosan microspheres.
A Review on Edible Straws
This review examines edible straws as a biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic straws, synthesizing research on their material compositions, structural performance, sensory properties, and alignment with global sustainability goals to reduce microplastic accumulation from disposable plastic products.
Bacterial cellulose bio-scrubber impregnated with antibacterial flavonoids from Moringa leaves as a microplastic substitution solution
Researchers developed a bacterial cellulose-based scrubbing material infused with antibacterial compounds from Moringa leaves as a plastic-free alternative to conventional plastic-containing scrubbers. The bio-scrubber was effective at removing contaminants and could reduce the release of microplastics from synthetic scrubbing products into wastewater.
Ultrastrong, Hydrostable, and Degradable Straws Derived from Microplastic-Free Thermoset Films for Sustainable Development
Researchers developed strong, moisture-stable drinking straws from all-natural thermoset materials derived from plant-based resins, demonstrating that the resulting straws are microplastic-free, fully biodegradable, and mechanically superior to paper straws which collapse in beverages.
Investigating interface adhesion of PLA-coated cellulose paper straws: Degradation, plant growth effects, and life cycle assessment
Researchers developed polylactic acid-coated cellulose paper straws as an alternative to single-use plastic straws and evaluated their environmental impact. The straws decomposed 35-40% within 4 months in soil and compost, though microplastics were detected in surrounding soil and plant tissues. Life cycle assessment showed that the manufacturing improvements reduced the ecological footprint compared to conventional plastic straws, though the release of microplastics during degradation warrants further study.