Melanie Rideout

Chemistry Essay

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Biodegradable products
Organic chemistry was originally defined as the chemistry of compounds produced by living organisms however, now it has been extended to contain artificially synthesised substances; for instance hydrocarbons, like petrol, or pharmaceutically made drugs. Organic chemistry is now the defined as the chemistry of compounds containing carbon. An organic compound is not the same as a natural substance; the description of an organic compound is one that is based upon the element carbon. Organic compounds are essential to the survival of all living things; as most living organisms compose of water and organic compounds for example, proteins, carbohydrates, fats. These are examples of the naturally occurring organic compounds; however laboratory manipulated synthesised products also, are seen as organic. To make useful products such as plastics, nylon, cotton. These synthesised products play many useful roles in the industrial world, for example all crude oils provide energy, alkenes serve as plastics for packaging, insulators, containers, window frames; synthesised organic compounds are very often used. Biodegradable products The biodegradation of products occurs due to other living organisms breaking down the long chains of the organic material, into monomers and smaller polymers; the products produced being: carbon dioxide/ methane, because the products are organic, water, and other nutrients/ minerals. It could then be perceived that organically synthesised products must easily biodegrade as they also contain carbon; however this is not the case, eventually synthesised organic products do breakdown, but this is after many years, hundreds, possibly even thousands for plastics such as polyvinyl fluoride. It is not possible for these products to biologically decompose due to the long polymer molecules that they are composed of, they are too tightly bonded together to be broken apart and assimilated by decomposer organisms. Plastics are also made from non renewable sources, crude oil, this not only poses an environmental threat but, if a replacement is not found, an economical threat, as almost all packaging is made of plastic, as well as the majority of day to day materials. Scientists all over the world have been researching into the possibility of biodegradable plastics, meaning creating a plastic that is strong, flexible, malleable, and that can easily, naturally, biodegrade. Before this, a biodegradable plastic had been discovered; the molecules of this product could be broken down by the UV rays of natural sunlight, this was proven, however, to be not efficient. It only partially degraded the plastic; the rest was left behind to pose problems such as suffocation, health issues, environment concern etc. The Environmental concern As said before many plastics are made from petroleum, this means that a lot of crude oil is used up during the production of petroleum-based plastics. The impact of that this, is that it increases carbon dioxide emissions, which in turn worsens global warming problems. Furthermore, as the majority of plastics, nowadays, are non-biodegradable it means that a lot waste is filling up the landfills, this problem is resolved by burning the plastic waste; this releases very harmful toxins in to the atmosphere, which imposes even further environmental problems. The majority of non-biodegradable plastics are non-renewable meaning that it is a cycle of plastics being made, releasing carbon dioxide, and plastics being destroyed, releasing toxic fumes.

Melanie Rideout The solution?

Chemistry Essay

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Recent scientific research has looked into several possibilities to create a completely biodegradable plastic; scientists have discovered some methods in which this will one day be possible. Here are examples of a couple. Plastics can be produced from starch Starch is a natural polymer. Starch could be processed directly into a bio-plastic but, because it is soluble in water, articles made from starch will swell and deform when exposed to moisture, limiting its use. This problem can be overcome by modifying the starch into a different polymer. First, starch is harvested from corn, wheat or potatoes, after fermentation lactic acid is produced, a monomer. Finally, the lactic acid is chemically treated to cause its molecules to link up into polymers, which bond together to form a plastic, polylactide (PLA). PLA has been available since 1990; it can be used for products such as plant pots and disposable nappies. It is possible to be used in medical implants, sutures and drug delivery systems because of its properties that enable it to dissolve away over time. However, because PLA is significantly more expensive than conventional plastics it has failed to win widespread acceptance.

Bacteria can also produce plastics Another way of making biodegradable polymers involves getting bacteria to produce granules of a plastic called polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) inside their cells. Bacteria are simply grown in culture, and the plastic is then harvested. Further research shows that scientists have taken genes from this kind of bacteria and incorporated them into corn plants, which then manufacture the plastic in their own cells. More than 600 types of bacteria can carry out this procedure. Bacteria produce the polymer, in the same way as humans make and store fat. Normally, the bacteria use the polymer for their own energy needs but the bacteria can be "harvested" before using the polymer they've stored, and it can be used. It is possible to grow bacteria in vats, using the same fermentation process that creates beer. They are fed sugar, oils, or starch, and after a few days the polymer grown inside the bacteria is harvested There are on going experiments and researches that are pursuing other uses for polymers and different ways in which bacteria can help in the environment; some bacteria can even convert oil spills and toxic waste into harmless, biodegradable polymers.

Melanie Rideout

Chemistry Essay

LO

Conclusion There are downsides to biodegradable products, not only is it a very costly procedure it could also pose a problem for the environment. Due to the respiration of the living organisms whilst breaking down the product; carbon dioxide/ methane are the bi-products produced, both of these are greenhouse gases, which would implement further problems with global warming. On the other hand, it would mean a substantial amount of crude oil not being used to create petroleum based plastics, which would, in effect, help towards the environmental issues, and as technology improves the cost of fabricating these bio-plastics will hopefully, decline. In conclusion, I believe that biodegradable products may not be the solution to global warming problems; however it would help towards the growing concern of the majority of plastics not being reusable and being made out of the non renewable source of crude oil. Science may set limits to knowledge, but should not set limits to imagination Bertrand Russell. There is no limit to where organic chemistry can go, all one has to do is look at the progression organic chemistry has made over the past 100years and then we can only imagine the possibilities.

Bibliography

www.wikipedia.com www.science.org www.mtholyke.com www.thequotationspage.com The research of scientist- Sheila Browne