Scientists develop non-toxic bioplastic
A team of scientists from Siberian research institutes and India's Mahatma Gandhi University have created a biodegradable polymer with improved technological properties, the products made of this polymer plastic are non-toxic and can maintain their flexibility for 6 months.
According to biotechnology scientists, polymer products often fail due to aging - cracks appear on the surface, changing the color and shape of the plastic product. This problem is especially important for biodegradable plastic products. On the one hand, biodegradable plastic must perform its function for a certain period of time; on the other hand, the product must then decompose into environmentally safe components.
"Scientists have created a new biodegradable polymer of the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PGA) group. It can maintain its basic properties (including flexibility) for 180 days and more, and has the main advantages of biomaterials: non-toxicity and hypoallergenicity. The durability of the new biopolymer is comparable to synthetic polymers. Thanks to these properties, bioplastics with high durability can be used in the production of packaging and medical devices," - said a representative of the University of Siberia.
The project to develop the new plastic involved biotechnologists from the Siberian Federal University, the Kirensky Physical Institute, the Institute of Biophysics, the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology (Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and Mahatma Gandhi University (India).
To create the PGA polymer, scientists used its natural producer - the bacterium Cupriavidus eutrophus B-10646. The most important property of the polymer obtained with the help of this bacterium is its special structure, which allows processing the polymer in various ways for industrial and medical purposes.
According to scientists, after half a year, under environmental conditions, this material easily decomposes with the help of microorganisms into carbon dioxide and water.
