YAUTIA (Xanthosoma saggittifolium) AS AN ALTERNATIVE

SOURCE OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC

MESHA EM D. BUGAYONG

PATREECE MONIQUE U. JUAN

MAIRI ABIGAIL G. VERGARA

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL RPRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF CENTRAL

MINDANAO UNIVERSITY LABORATORY HIGH SCHOOL, IN PARTIAL

FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE

SCIENCE RESEARCH 2

AUGUST 2018
 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The burning of plastics in the environment is a very high-risk factor that effects

in air pollution. While the government is looking for new and efficient alternative

roots of plastic at the same time minimize its effects and to be eco-friendly, they have

been implementing orders to ban shop keepers from giving out plastic bags to the

customers for carrying their purchases with the small lasting effect, but it does not

entirely solve the problem.

Plastic bags are popular among the retailers and customers because it is low-

cost, firm, lightweight, and handy. It carries not just groceries fresh from the

supermarket but also other things. However, plastics are one of the factors for causing

pollution, wildlife killings, and taking the resources of this planet, earth.

It takes less time for the biodegradable plastic to be decomposed or breaks

after being thrown away, if they are not recycled, well, this means that it gets absorbed

by the Earth, in that way, it will eliminate the number of plastics that are dominating

our land.

Plastics are useful since it can be used for containing the food and water

consumed each and every day. But it could be very harmful to the environment. That

is why there is a need to have an alternative source of organic plastic, and one of these

is yautia. Yautia is biodegradable and there is no problem in burning, or just piling it

up on the ground.
The use of biodegradable plastic helps people by using less energy in producing it. It

means that people could produce twice the number of the non-biodegradable plastic in

a given time. As such, it does not have chemicals which are harmful to humans and to

the environment. With all the reasons stated above, it is imperative therefore to study

Yautia as an alternative source of biodegradable plastic.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of Yautia (X. sagittifolium) as

an alternative source of biodegradable plastic. Specifically, it strives to answer the

following question:

1. What are the properties of Yautia bioplastic in terms of:

a) resistance to heat;

b) tensile strength; and

c) biodegradability in the effectivity between bioplastic from

Yautia (X. sagittifolium) and regular plastic

Objectives of the Study

The aims of the study are to determine the effectivity of Yautia (X.

sagittifolium) as an alternative source of biodegradable plastic. Specifically, it seeks

to:

1. determine the properties of Yautia (X. sagittifolium) bioplastic in terms of

resistance to heat, tensile strength and biodegradability in the effectivity

between bioplastic from Yautia (X. sagittifolium) and regular plastic

 2. compare the differences of properties between bioplastic made from Yautia and

regular plastic

Significance of the Study

The results of this study would provide benefits to the society as part of the

environment in which it helps to find answer to matters that dealt with plastic. The

results of the study is developing biodegradable plastic when it is a huge blow to

lessen, if not totally, eliminate the global concern.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study will only be limited to the identification of the effectiveness of

Yautia (X. sagittifolium) roots as an alternative source of biodegradable plastic.

Definition of Terms

Biodegradable - capable of breaking down or be decomposed quickly by living

organisms.
Resistance to heat - the willingness to tolerate heat from melting.
Resistance to solubility - a state wherein it can be dissolved especially in water or the
dissolved substance that can be mixed in a given amount of another substance.
Durability - staying strong and in good condition over a long period of time.
Tensile strength - the greatest longitudinal stress a substance can bear without tearing
apart.
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Yautia

Yautia is a species of tropical flowering plant in the group of Xanthosoma that

produces an edible and starchy corm. Yautia is native to Northern South America

which is raised or grown widely in various parts of the world. This plant is also

cultivated in the Philippines, they are also entirely known in Cuba and Puerto Rico. It

is a lactiferous, or it secretes milky juice, herb that prefers tropical or sub-tropical

climates with well-drained fertile soil. It is widely used for the consumption process.

Yautia (X. sagittifolium) grows up to 1.5 to 2 meters in height. The plant have

arrowhead to heart shaped leaves and the tubers have dark brown-orange skin which

possesses wiry hair and the flesh inside the corm is white. The milky juice of the plant

could provide irritation to the skin. It is rich in copper, vitamin B6, carbohydrates,

potassium and iron.

Plastic

The word plastic came from the Greek word “plastikos”, which means it is

capable of being molded. Plastics can be hard just like metal or soft like a silk. Plastics

can be conveniently divided into two categories. First is the semi-synthetic in which

the basic chain structure is derived from a natural product, such as cellulose; and

synthetic, which is built up chemically from small units or monomers. Despite the

various applications of plastics, drawbacks have been encountered in three major

points. Firstly, there are certain chemicals used in the manufacture of. Plastics that

may cause allergic reactions. Three is a need man from this threat. Secondly, since

cellulose films are biodegradable; they are readily attacked by bacteria. Films and

packaging materials from synthetic polymers are normally attacked at a very low rate.

New polymers such is nylon, polyvinyl chloride and Polystyrene have replaced

cellulose, the pioneer plastic material. As a result, these plastic materials have become

permanent wastes. (Helmenstine, 2016)

Since Polystyrene is known to leach styrene, which can damage the nervous

system. The hotter the food is the more styrene leaches from those containers which

means using them for hot foods and drinks may be worst of all. Another plastic is the

#3. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) that can be found in bags for bedding, meat wrap,

plastic toys and packs used to store medications. This plastic contains poisonous

chemicals including Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) causing the endocrine systems of

wildlife disrupted, causing testicular cancer, genital deformations, low sperm counts

and infertility in a number of species, including polar bears, deer, whales and many

more. (Mercola, 2013)

With the knowledge of it being harmful, it is encouraged to use an eco-friendly

plastics that can easily be decomposed and make no harm to the environment. In

which, most of the organic plastic, that is oftentimes used today, end up in landfills.

Covered below each one of them, poisonous chemicals just like mentioned above from

plastics seep into groundwater, flowing next into lakes and rivers.

With this study, if organic plastic will not end up in the landfills, it will pile up
for an average of 450 years considering some bottles takes 1000 years to biodegrade

because when something is biodegradable, soil, air or moisture decompose it so that it

becomes part of the land. Plastics can contain more and more of preservatives. Any

plastic can extract, depending on the conditions just like the temperature and also what

chemicals or ingredients are added on plastics. If possible, it is suggested to avoid

using organic plastic, especially in toys or other products for children, and products

that associates with foods and drinks.

Plastic bags are harmful by polluting the environment. About a hundred

million plastic bags are used every year in the US alone. If someone considers the

huge economies and population of India, China, Europe and other parts of the world,

numbers can be staggering. The problem is consistently a negative situation by the

developing countries like India; which organic plastic bags are highly used by

everybody. Every year, more and more bags are ending up littering the environment. If

plastics are just left in a public place, plastics find their way into the water ways,

roads, beaches, resulting in floods and possibly withdrawing toxicity to both the place

and living things that are in the area; if burned, it will fill the air with toxic fumes.

There are a thousand animals killed every year due to this waste. Many animals ingest

plastic bags mistaking it for food, and the likes, causing a havoc to them internally and

eventually die. What’s worse is that they are non-biodegradable. The decomposition

takes place in about 400 years. (Henderson, 2017)

Bioplastic
 Biodegradable plastics can be composed of bio-plastics, which are plastics

made from renewable raw materials. There are normally two forms of biodegradable

plastic, injection molded and solid. The solid forms normally are used for items such

as food containers, leaf collection bags, and water bottles.

Biodegradable plastics do have some downside. For example, they do not

decompose unless they are disposed of properly, meaning that biodegradable plastics

must be treated similarly to compost. The natural breakdown of the plastic will not

occur if it is simply tossed in a landfill with other trash. This is something that

concerned citizens will need to be mindful of. Some scientists also suggest that

greenhouse gases are locked within the plastic and are released into the atmosphere

when composted. However, everything used in the production of biodegradable plastic

is natural. As such, these plastics do not contain the harmful chemicals and materials

that traditional plastics do.

Some biodegradable materials do contain small pieces of metal. There is

concern that when biodegradable plastics break down, those metals will be released

into the environment. However, to date there is no evidence of that it is causing any

significant issues.

The benefits would seem to outweigh any potential drawbacks, but the

question of whether or not biodegradable plastics will someday be replace by

traditional plastic is still a matter of debate.

After formation, regular plastics hold carbon. When they are disposed of and

begin to decompose or when they are melted, that carbon is then released into the
atmosphere, which as we all know that carbon can increase the greenhouse effect in

the atmosphere. Biodegradable plastics do not release carbon, because carbon is not

present on the manufacturing process. Methane and other forms of pollutants can also

be released from traditional plastic when they are recycled and burned. This is not the

case with biodegradable plastics, which do not contain materials that can cause any

type of pollution.

One of the many positive aspects of biodegradable plastics is that they are able

to be broken down by naturally occurring bacteria, which again will be beneficial to

the environment.

Aside from a slightly higher cost to produce, biodegradable plastics hold many

advantages over standard plastics, with a lesser impact on the environment being one

of its greatest advantages.

Biodegradable plastics are made from all-natural plant materials. These can

include corn oil, orange peels, starch, and plants. Traditional plastic is made with

chemical fillers that can be harmful to the environment when released when the plastic

is melted down. With biodegradable plastic, you get a substance made from natural

sources that does not contain these chemical fillers, and does not pose the same risk to

the environment.

The process of making biodegradable plastics begins with the melting down of

all the materials. That mixture is then poured into molds of various shapes such as

plastic water bottles and utensils. (Connecticut Plastics, 2016)

 Hypothesis of the Study

H : There is no significant difference in the effectivity between bioplastic made

o
from Yautia and regular plastic

H : There is a significant difference in the effectivity between bioplastic made

a
from Yautia and regular plastic
 METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study is an experimental design. The yautia will be treated as the

independent variable while the properties of biodegradable plastic for every amount of

the yautia will be treated as the dependent variable. This experimental design will use

a single group design. The duration of the study will be done June and July of 2018.

Materials and Equipment

The materials to be used in this study are yautia, glycerin, water, and vinegar.

The equipment to be used are knife, cup, teaspoon, tablespoon, pan, container, gloves,

spatula, grater and strainer.

Procedure
Gathering of Materials

Yautia (X. sagittifolium) will be bought at Valencia City Public Market and

glycerin will be bought at the Mercury Drug.

Preparation of Yautia

First, the yautia will be peeled using a kitchen knife. Next, the peeled yautia will

be grated and placed in a container filled with water, then leave it for 2-3 minutes.

After, pour the water filled with grated Yautia in a strainer, leaving the liquid to settle.

After settling for 2-3 hours, the starchiness will pull out. Lastly, the starch that settled

at the base of the bowl will be dry through the sunlight.

Making of Bioplastic Sheets

A cooking pan will be added with 1 table spoon of starch from the yutia,, ¼ cup

of water, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of glycerin; hence, mixing it well

before turning the fire on. While heating, keep on stirring until the cloudy white liquid

forms into a clear gel-like liquid. When bubbles starts to form, it is a sign that the

mixing of ingredients are finish. Then pour the finished product into a container, then

let it dry until it is not sticky anymore. Henceforth, the product can be easily remove

from the container.

Determination of Properties

a) The resistance to heat will be done after setting the mixture aside, the product

will then be placed on a watch glass which will then be placed under the heat of the

sun.
 b) Determining the tensile strength will be done by stretching the product using a

spring balance.

c) Biodegradability time will be determined when the product is buried in a

container full of soil which will rest for 2-3 weeks.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The statistical analysis that will be used is descriptive statistics. Since it will

test the characteristic of the study. Providing the information about what happened

during the determination of properties.

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