The Future of Education

The world is suffering from the excessive use of plastic. Currently, 150 million tons of plastic are produced annually all over the world and packaging accounts for 45% of the plastic market. Bearing in mind that only 14% of plastic packaging can be recycled, we need an alternative way of packaging for the sake of recycling and sustainability. Natural polymers can be the ultimate substitute for sustainable packaging development since they are available, low cost, abundant, thermo-processable and edible. Edible polymers can be consumed with the products, unlike traditional synthetics. Additionally, they can be applied to the surface of the products for protection while also maintaining the quality, stability, and preventing the loss of nutrients. Most importantly, they are biodegradable. Since they are produced from solely renewable and edible ingredients, they are more likely to degrade faster in the environment than any other potential materials. Furthermore, the usage of agricultural materials is not only beneficial due to their renewable nature but also presents a new use for the excess agricultural products that are starch-based. My aim was to produce a biofilm that was harmless, equally practical to preserve, and one that would contribute to the reduction of environmental contamination. In my experiment, I used carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as an alternative for plastics in the field of packaging. For the production of CMC, I used tangerine peels. Tangerine peels were exposed to HCl and NaOH respectively to extract cellulose. Then, cellulose was immersed in isopropyl alcohol-NaOH mixture and added chloroacetic acid to obtain CMC. In the final step, CMC is blended with corn starch to produce CMC biofilm which will be used as an alternative to plastic films. High school education is one of the most significant steps in our lives where we gain critical thinking and questioning skills. AP Biology course was among the most effective opportunities for not only learning basic biological concepts with laboratory activities but also developing skills for global citizenship. In this project, by developing recyclable biofilms instead of the traditional plastic versions, I had a chance to comprehend the information concerning organic molecules, environmental pollution and human impact on ecosystems with the laboratory skills. This study inspired me regarding my future academic career while providing me with a lifelong global awareness.
Keywords: cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, biofilm

References:
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