Artículo de revista
Development of biodegradable and vermicompostable films based on alginate and waste eggshells
Fecha
2023Registro en:
Food Hydrocolloids 142 (2023) 108813
10.1016/j.foodhyd.2023.108813
Autor
Villanueva, Valeria
Valdés, Fabrizzio
Zúñiga, Rommy N.
Villamizar Sarmiento, María Gabriela
Soto Bustamante, Eduardo Arturo
Romero Hasler, Patricio
Riveros Salvatierra, Ana Luisa
Tapia, José
Lisoni, Judit
Oyarzún Ampuero, Felipe Andrés
Valenzuela Venegas, Carolina Paz
Institución
Resumen
The development of biofilms to replace plastics is urgent, due to the high environmental pollution caused by the
non-biodegradable packaging. The objective of this study was to develop and understand the behavior and
properties of biodegradable films based on an alginate/glycerol matrix with eggshell waste. Eggshells were
transformed to eggshell powder (EP) and this ingredient used to obtain EP biodegradable films (EPBFs) using the
casting method. EP contributed opacity and whitish coloration to the EPBFs. Stress-strain curves show that EP
content significantly influences mechanical properties; resulting in harder, firmer and less elastic EPBFs with
increasing EP content. The EPBFs had heterogeneous and rough surfaces with crystalline forms provided by EP
with a particle size distribution ranged from 20.7 to 26.6 μm, arranged as a monolithic pattern with very low
porosity. EPBFs were amorphous materials and WAXS analysis indicated that CaCO3 content ranged 18–50% in
the EPBFs. Thermal decomposition processes of the EPBFs, was not affected by the EP addition at concentrations
below 6%. The addition of EP increased the hydrophobicity of EPBFs, slowing solubilization in water; however,
the water solubility percentage was high (82.9% for EPBF-2%–75.2% for EPBF-6%). EPBFs completely biodegrade in vermicomposting in short periods of time (between 14 and 21 days). In conclusion, EPBFs, derived from
waste, constitute an interesting new material with desirable mechanical properties for potential use as food
coatings or packaging. The biodegradable properties of EPBFs allow easy disposal by dissolving in water or by
vermicomposting.