Study of Amorphophallus paeonifolius and Manihot esculenta as Bioplastics using Glycerol and Agar-Agar as Plasticizers: An Experimental Assay

Bio-plastics are biodegradable materials that can be obtained from renewable sources such as corn starch, straw, vegetable fats and oils, wood chips, recycled food waste, sawdust, etc. They can be used as an alternative to the commercial plastics in the market which contaminates our environment. Nowadays bio-plastics are worldwide popular due to their concern towards the environment, limited fossil fuel resources, and climatic change. The purpose of this study is to assess the properties of the starch-based bio-plastics prepared from Amorphophallus paeonifolius and Manihot esculenta using glycerol and agar-agar as the plasticizers. The synthesized bio-plastic was characterized with the help of UV-Visible spectrophotometer, FT-IR spectroscopy, and SEM Analysis. Finally, it is concluded that the bioplastic based on Manihot esculenta and Amorphophallus paeonifolius could be established as a favorable ecological alternative to be used as a developed medical material and the bio-plastic can also be used in packaging, cosmetics, food additives and clothing due to its good properties of resistance and favorable biodegradation.