The improvement of plastic manufacturing has been evolving steadily that it can now degrade back to its original sources of carbon dioxide and sugar. Biodegradable plastics will soon be available as scientists from the University of Bath, Somerset, UK are developing a similar material with plastics that are made from petrochemicals, that have translucent, clear, and scratch-proof properties. What makes the biodegradable plastic essential to human needs is that it is Eco-friendly.
Scientists say that adding carbon dioxide and sugar to the formula of making biodegradable plastics at low temperature and pressure is a clean and safe process. The product has an ingredient that is already inherent in the human body. The sugar thymidine is one of the units found in a human DNA and that plastics made from CO2 and sugar are biocompatible if used as a scaffold for implants to deliver drugs directly where it matters, safe and appropriate.
The study published in the journal Polymer Chemistry and Macromolecules led by Georgina Gregory states that since the sugar thymidine already exists in the DNA, the biodegradable plastic product could be applied safely for tissue engineering applications that already is in motion in collaboration with Dr. Ram Sharma from the Chemical Engineering Department, reports Business Recorder.
Scientists from the Center for Sustainable Chemical Technologies, University of Bath say that the new product will soon be replacing the plastics that are not sustainable made from petrochemicals. Present manufacturing processes use polycarbonates in the fabrication of plastic bottles, scratch proof lay over on CDs and DVDs, lenses for eyeglass, and cell phone coating protection. The processes cost higher and unsafe as polycarbonates use BPA, a chemical banned in the production of baby bottles, and a toxic phosgene substance used during the World War I chemical warfare, reports Physics.Org.
The high demand of plastic will increase with a growing population but will lower the toxicity level and waste hazards brought about by plastic pollution in land and sea, says Dr. Anthony Bouchard from the Department of Chemistry of Bath University. Chemists had been using petrochemicals in the fabrication of plastic for 100 years. The new approach has a bright future for biodegradable plastics, he adds.