Utilization of Sago Starch for Biodegradable Plastics

Biodegradable polymers with a biological source are known as bioplastics. The bioplastics business is expanding due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the growing environmental damage caused by plastics made from these sources. The goal of creating bio-based plastics that are affordable, long-lasting, and versatile is becoming more and more important. Currently, agricultural commodities provide vast varieties of raw materials for bioplastics production, which prevent an indirect danger to food security. Despite the fact that plastics are artificial polymers with many advantages, such as strength, durability, and flexibility, their inability to decompose produces a threat to the environment. The constant increasing demand for plastic is contributing to the accumulation of waste in the environment and also minimizes the store of natural resources like petroleum. This has created the need for development of bioplastics which is environmentally friendly and can be degraded. The development of most bioplastics is expected to reduce fossil fuel consumption, plastic waste, and carbon dioxide emissions. The majority of the bioplastics will contribute towards lowering the use of fossil fuel, plastic waste, and carbon dioxide. The biodegradable plastics have positive impact on society and raises awareness. Biodegradable plastics are composed of natural macromolecules like starch, cellulose, chitosan, and protein derived from renewable biomass. Since bioplastics are manufactured from naturally occurring organic materials such as polymers of carbohydrates, they can thus be used as environmentally friendly alternatives to destructive petroleum-based polymers. Bioplastic is thus a renewable substitute for traditional plastics and can also be manufactured from any starch source such as grains, millets, roots, and tubers and sago. Sago is a product made from the pith of sago palms and is mainly utilized in a food product. The extraction and use of starch from sago not only provide an alternative to conventional plastic production but also offer potential benefits such as using locally available materials, reducing reliance on major agricultural commodities like corn or potatoes, and utilizing less common or waste materials. Sago starch can be modified to nanoscale for improving characteristics like tensile strength and thermal stability. Research on unconventional sources of starch may yield new insights and substitutes to broaden the range of agricultural products utilized in the manufacturing of bioplastics.