ENVIRONMENTAL BIODEGRADABILITY ASSESSMENT BIOPLASTIC FILMS BASED ON ALOE VERA MUCILAGE AND PECTIN

Abstract

The increasing environmental impact caused by the accumulation of plastic waste, due to its prolonged biodegradation time, has driven the development of biodegradable materials as a sustainable alternative to mitigate this problem. Among the most promising options, bioplastics produced from natural polysaccharides, such as Aloe vera mucilage and pectin, exhibit favorable properties for forming stable, sustainable, and biodegradable polymeric structures. Consequently, the present study evaluated the environmental biodegradability of bioplastic films made from Aloe vera mucilage and pectin, exposed to natural conditions in three environments: soil, air, and water. To this end, eighteen bioplastic film formulations were prepared, and three formulations (FB₈, FB₉, and FB₁₂) were selected through sensory analysis. These formulations were subjected to biodegradation tests for 40 days, revealing a significantly differentiated behavior depending on the environment. Formulation FB₁₂ reached the highest average biodegradation percentage in water, 88.6%. Under anaerobic conditions, formulation FB₈ showed an average biodegradation of 57.2%, while under aerobic conditions, a maximum average value of 28.5% was obtained. The results highlight the influence of environmental variables such as humidity, oxygen availability, and microbial presence on the efficiency of the process. Overall, the findings support the potential of these bioplastics as sustainable materials, particularly for applications in aquatic environments.