Investigatory Project

I.
Title
● Bioplastics versus Non-biodegradable Plastics
II. Rationale
● To know if this study will be effective, we shall try to make a plastic out of natural
ingredients and measure its biodegradability by leaving it in an open space for almost 2
weeks
III. Problem
● Is using bioplastics more effective in terms of biodegradability and has lesser pollution
amounts?
IV. Hypothesis
● If the bioplastics made from this research study does no harm to the environment and can
reduce the problem of plastic waste, then it can save the environment from being
contaminated and it can really be a great substitute for non-biodegradable plastic.
V. Objectives of the Study
● The key objective of this study is to decrease the use of non-biodegradable plastics and be
aware of the disadvantages of using it. Our first target is to know the strengths and
weaknesses of a plastic and a bioplastic. Our second target is to know what will happen
when the plastics are gone and; Our third target is to know how much will cost the re-
production of bioplastic and; Our third and last target is what are the alternative plastics
that can help our environment and can lessen the pollution.
VI. Significance of the study
● The key objective of this study is to lessen the use of the non-biodegradable plastics and
learn how bioplastics will contribute more to our environment so far. The first aim of our
project is to determine if bioplastic can be a substitute for non-biodegradable plastics and
if there will be a big shot of decreasing the pollution contributed by non-biodegradable
plastics
VII. Review of Related Literature and Studies

Bioplastic:
Bio-plastics are a form of plastics derived from plant sources such as sweet potatoes, soya bean
oil, sugarcane, hemp oil, and cornstarch. These polymers are naturally degraded by the action of
microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae. Bio-plastics can help alleviate the energy crisis
as well as reduce the dependence on fossil fuels of our society. They have some remarkable
properties which make it suitable for different applications. This paper tries to give an insight about
Bioplastics, their composition, preparation, properties, special cases, advantages, disadvantages,
commercial viability, its life cycle, marketing and pricing of these products.
Since plastics have become an integral part of our lives, it also causes such pollution, sickness and
some chronic pulmonary disease due to the pollution that it causes. This challenges have provoked
many scientists to partially substitute petrochemical-based polymers with biodegradable one’s,
Bioplastic, are environmentally friendly as compared to traditional plastics for their production
results in the emission of less greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which is one of the prime
sources of air pollution and leads to environmental issues such as global warming, climate change,
etc.
Non-Biodegradable Plastics:
A Non-Biodegradable material can be defined as a kind of substance which cannot be broken down
by natural organisms and acts as a source of pollution.
Unlike biodegradable wastes, non-biodegradable cannot be easily handled. Non-biodegradable

wastes are those who cannot be decomposed or dissolved by natural agents. They remain on earth
for thousands of years without any degradation. Hence the threat caused by them is also more
critical. A notable example is the plastics which are a commonly used material in almost every
field. To give these plastics a long lasting effect, improved quality plastics are being put to use.
This made them more temperature resistant and more durable even after use. Other examples are
cans, metals, and chemicals for agricultural and industrial purposes. They are the main causes of
air, water and soil pollution and diseases like cancer.
Since non-biodegradable wastes are not Eco-friendly, they need to be replaced. As a part of a
development of alternatives, scientists have brought forward many ideas like biodegradable
plastics, etc. They incorporated some biodegradable materials with plastics and made them easily
and rapidly degradable. But this is quite an expensive procedure
Sooner or Later, this waste can be the source of all sickness including lung disease, pneumonia,
ACD(acute respiratory disease) and even death. This causes 78% cause of the pollution
VII. Materials and Procedure
Method
Using Cornstarch and Vinegar
1. Gather the necessary materials. To make this type of bioplastic, you will need
cornstarch, distilled water, glycerol, white vinegar, a stove, a saucepan, silicone
spatula, and food coloring (if desired). These items should be readily available at the
grocery store or online. Glycerol is also called glycerine, so try searching for that if
you’re having trouble finding glycerol. The following amounts of each ingredient are
needed to make the bioplastic:
2. Combine all of the ingredients and stir together. Add all of the ingredients to the
saucepan and stir to combine with the spatula. Stir until you get rid of most of the lumps
in the mixture. At this stage, the mixture will be a milky white color and quite watery.
If you add the wrong amounts of ingredients, just dispose of the mixture and start again.
3. Heat on medium-low. Place the saucepan on the stove and set the heat to medium-low.
Stir continuously as the mixture heats. Bring it to a gentle boil. As the mixture heats, it
will become more translucent and begin to thicken.
Remove the mixture from the heat when it becomes clear and thick.
Total heating time will be around 10-15 minutes.
Lumps may begin to form if the mixture gets overheated.
Add one-two drops of food coloring at this stage, if you would like to color the plastic.
4. Pour mixture onto foil or parchment paper. Spread the heated mixture onto a piece of
foil or parchment paper to let it cool. If you would like to mold the plastic into a shape,
it must be done while it is still warm. See the last method for details on molding the
plastic.
Remove any bubbles that you see by poking them with a toothpick.
5. Allow the plastic to dry for at least two days. It will take time for the plastic to dry and
harden. As it cools, it will begin to dry out. Depending on the thickness of the plastic,
it can take longer for it to dry. If you make one small thick piece it will take longer to
dry than a thinner larger piece.
Leave the plastic in a cool, dry place for this process.
Check the plastic after two days to see if it has fully hardened.
Results and Analysis:
We left it in an open area (laboratory) for almost 2 weeks and we used materials that can be
decomposed overtime or perishable materials
Conclusion:
Generally, Bioplastic can be a great substitute to the massive cause of pollution, the plastics,
because based on the researchers and experiment when plastics are put into heat it melts and
releases some foul smell which believed to be a sulfur dioxide and because the researchers proved
that there are things that can decrease the challenges of the world, which is plastic pollution. And
we believe through this thing we can build a greater and green environment.
Recommendation:
Be patient and be observative. Also be very careful and precise of the measurements and be careful
when you are heating and use safety lab goods.
List of References:
Bioplastic Study/Researches
● F Gironi, V Piemonte - … Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and …, 2011 - Taylor &
Francis
● https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15567030903436830
Non-Biodegradable Plastics Study/Research
● https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03602559008049843?src=recsys
● Y Zheng, EK Yanful, AS Bassi - Critical
Documentation
As you can see, there are

bubbles that are made by the
heat
We used the red coloring

We are mixing the plain
and we mixed it (Mixture
no.2) Mixture no. 1
Now, the last step, we put it already in a

parachment paper that will be hardened after 2
days.
IV. Time Table
Tasks Target Date Teacher’s Deadline
Submission of Problem Fourth week of September September 27,2019

and Title
Writing IP Proposal First Week of October October 1-4, 2019

Submission of IP Proposal Second week of October October 7-11, 2019
Investigation Period 2nd Term November 1, 2019
Submission of Gathered 2nd Term November 29, 2019

Data
Writing the IP report 2nd Term November 29, 2019
Submission of IP Report 2nd Term February 18, 2020
X. Budget
10ml distilled water 10 pesos
0.5-1.5g glycerol 150 pesos
1.5g cornstarch 30 pesos
1ml of white vinegar 22 pesos
1-2 drops food coloring 50 pesos
XI. Proponents
● Manalansan, Jomari N.
● Talan, Winsleth P.
● Kawit, Datu Alrasheed
● Satsatin, Erin
● Santos, Jayvielynn Veronica

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I.

V. Objectives of the Study

VII. Review of Related Literature and Studies

Unlike biodegradable wastes, non-biodegradable cannot be easily handled. Non-biodegradable

VII. Materials and Procedure

As you can see, there are

We used the red coloring

Now, the last step, we put it already in a

IV. Time Table

Tasks Target Date Teacher’s Deadline

Submission of Problem Fourth week of September September 27,2019

Writing IP Proposal First Week of October October 1-4, 2019

Investigation Period 2nd Term November 1, 2019

Submission of Gathered 2nd Term November 29, 2019

Writing the IP report 2nd Term November 29, 2019

Submission of IP Report 2nd Term February 18, 2020

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