Bio-based films prepared with by-products and wastes: environmental assessment

Abstract Considerable interest in bio-based films has been renewed due to their potential use in packaging industries. Polymers from biomass receive increasing interest as potential substitutes for certain conventional polymers since they are derived from renewable sources and can be biodegradable. However, the life cycle assessment of biofilms has not been widely reported in the literature. In this context, this paper discusses the environmental assessment of bio-based films based on agro-industrial by-products and marine residues, providing added value to these wastes. The materials employed to prepare the bio-based films were soy protein obtained as by-product of soy oil industry, chitosan obtained from the skeleton of crustaceans, and agar obtained from marine seaweeds. The results showed that manufacture is the most contaminant stage for chitosan and agar films, whereas the extraction of raw materials is the stage with the highest environmental burden for soy protein films. In addition, soybeans cultivation contributes to the environmental burden in land use category due to the use of glycerol, considered as by-product from biodiesel production, as plasticizer. However, the end of life stage is the least pollutant phase for bio-based films due to the fact that their biodegradable nature allows composting as the end of life scenario, providing environmental benefits. The present study allows identifying the most pollutant phases of the life cycle for biofilms from different resources, which is the first step prior to the analysis of the changes needed during the design of products and processes to minimize negative impacts in the environment.

[1]  A. Iles,et al.  Expanding bioplastics production: sustainable business innovation in the chemical industry , 2013 .

[2]  Almudena Hospido,et al.  A review of methodological issues affecting LCA of novel food products , 2010 .

[3]  K. Nadarajah.  Development and characterization of antimicrobial edible films from crawfish chitosan , 2005 .

[4]  H. No,et al.  Preparation and Characterization of Chitin and Chitosan—A Review , 1995 .

[5]  Robert E. Dvorak,et al.  Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities , 2009, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

[6]  Thitisilp Kijchavengkul,et al.  Compostability of polymers , 2008 .

[7]  Jeroen B. Guinee,et al.  Handbook on life cycle assessment operational guide to the ISO standards , 2002 .

[8]  B. Mooney,et al.  The second green revolution? Production of plant-based biodegradable plastics. , 2009, The Biochemical journal.

[9]  Mercedes Hortal,et al.  The sustainability of communicative packaging concepts in the food supply chain. A case study: part 1. Life cycle assessment , 2011 .

[10]  Anna Björklund,et al.  Life cycle assessment of a novel hybrid glass-hemp/thermoset composite , 2013 .

[11]  P. Guerrero,et al.  Functional properties of chitosan-based films. , 2013, Carbohydrate polymers.

[12]  Paul Butler.  Consumer Benefits and Convenience Aspects of Smart Packaging , 2008 .

[13]  P. Guerrero,et al.  Thermal and mechanical properties of soy protein films processed at different pH by compression , 2010 .

[14]  Luis Alberto Calderón,et al.  The utility of Life Cycle Assessment in the ready meal food industry , 2010 .

[15]  Alireza Ashori,et al.  Wood-plastic composites as promising green-composites for automotive industries! , 2008, Bioresource technology.

[16]  D. Blumberga,et al.  Comparative life cycle assessment of three biohydrogen pathways. , 2011, Bioresource technology.

[17]  Jan-Olov Sundqvist.  Life cycles assessments and solid waste - Guidelines for solid waste treatment and disposal in LCA , 1999 .

[18]  Reinout Heijungs,et al.  Bias in normalization: Causes, consequences, detection and remedies , 2007 .

[19]  M. Lahaye,et al.  Sulfate Content of Carrageenan and Agar Determined by Infrared Spectroscopy , 1986 .

[20]  James Michael Bier,et al.  An eco-profile of thermoplastic protein derived from blood meal Part 1: allocation issues , 2012, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

[21]  Gregory M. Bohlmann,et al.  Biodegradable packaging life-cycle assessment , 2004 .

[22]  A. Gandini,et al.  Turning polysaccharides into hydrophobic materials: a critical review. Part 1. Cellulose , 2010 .

[23]  F. Debeaufort,et al.  Functional properties of edible agar-based and starch-based films for food quality preservation. , 2005, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

[24]  Martin K. Patel,et al.  Life Cycle Assessment of Polysaccharide Materials: A Review , 2008 .

[25]  M. Goedkoop,et al.  The Eco-indicator 99, A damage oriented method for Life Cycle Impact Assessment , 1999 .

[26]  Ramani Narayan,et al.  Assessment of the environmental profile of PLA, PET and PS clamshell containers using LCA methodology , 2009 .

[27]  E. Rudnik,et al.  Comparative Biodegradation in Soil Behaviour of two Biodegradable Polymers Based on Renewable Resources , 2011 .

[28]  A. Baky,et al.  Life cycle assessment of energy self-sufficiency systems based on agricultural residues for organic arable farms. , 2011, Bioresource technology.

[29]  Pedro Guerrero,et al.  Environmental assessment of chitosan-based films. , 2013 .

[30]  G. Davis,et al.  Biodegradable packaging based on raw materials from crops and their impact on waste management , 2006 .

[31]  B. López-Mesa,et al.  Environmental assessment of biodegradable multilayer film derived from carbohydrate polymers , 2007 .