According to foreign media reports, a bioengineering team composed of researchers from the University of Nottingham and the University of Nile in Egypt is using materials from shrimp shells to make a new plastic bag, which is expected to replace the common plastic shopping bag. All non degradable plastic bags come from fossil fuels, and the new plastic bags are not only more environmentally friendly, but also extend the shelf life of food.
New plastic bags made of shrimp shell materials are expected to replace conventional shopping bags
Plastic shopping bags may be very convenient, but they have also become a headache for countries such as Egypt. These plastic bags not only pollute the water source, but also the environmental protection department has to take measures to deal with the white pollution. To help solve this problem, the team is working on chitosan, an artificial polymer made from discarded shrimp shells.
The aim of the study is to produce a biopolymer nanocomposite suitable for the Egyptian environment that can replace polyethylene in plastic shopping bags. This biodegradable material is also very cheap. The chitosan can be obtained by soaking the shrimp shell in hydrochloric acid to remove the carbonate, alkali boiling to remove the protein and lipid, washing to neutral, decolorizing with KMnO4 solution or H2O2 solution, and finally drying. The chitosan thin film can be processed into plastic film by conventional manufacturing method.
Chitosan has been used in food packaging and medical industry. This material also has antibacterial properties and can extend the shelf life of food.
诺丁汉工程学院的Nicola Everitt博士表示：“使用由虾壳制成的可降解生物聚合物来制成塑料袋，不仅可以降低碳排放，还能减少在街道或非法倾倒场所积累的食物和包装垃圾。”
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