1

Chapter 1

Background of the Study

Introduction

Our world in modern days is extremely well-improved.

Together with its progression, there are things that were

innovated. Plastics for instance have contributed a big

help for the people in their daily necessities. They are

used as packaging materials, utensils, foot wears and many

more. There is no doubt that people use plastics everyday

that they find it difficult to live without the use of

them.

However, due to the excess use of plastics, it has

been a burden on how to dispose them. Approximately, there

are billions of tons of plastics that are produced every

year. In connection to this, garbages thrown to landfills

are gradually increasing.

Plastics also decompose in a long period of time.

According to LeBlanc (2017), plastic bags that are used in

people’s daily lives take ten to one thousand years (10-

1000 years) to decompose while plastic bottles can take

four hundred fifty years (450 years) or more. These waste

materials emit an enormous amount of greenhouse gases such

as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane to the

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atmosphere that leads to global warming which is the reason

why climate change is experienced nowadays.

Disposing these materials is very difficult.

Incinerating them or disposing them to landfills, either

way they still contribute greenhouse gases.

Prior to this problem, a lot of researches have been

conducted about developing an alternative material for

plastics that leaves less carbon footprint in the

environment. This material is called bioplastic.

Bioplastic refers to a plastic whose components are

derived from renewable raw materials. They are made from

organic polymers unlike plastics which are made from

synthetic polymers are made up of long chain of molecules

which can be usually found in the starchy foods that the

people eat like root and tuber crops (Diangco & Rico,

2012).

Chinese taro which is also known as “bisol” is

ubiquitous in the locality.According to Ogukwe, Amaechi &

Enenebeaku (2017), It is a herbaceous perennial plants

belonging to the family Araceae and may belong to either

the genus Colocasia or the genus Xanthosoma. It differs

with the non-native Colocasia esculenta, taro, which has

smaller, peltate (stalled from the back of the leaf blade),

glaucous leaves and clear or reddish sap.

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It belongs to the corn crops which is a short, solid

thickened underground stem found in monocots. Small corms

are called cormels. They are usually flat in shape having

numerous roots at the bottom and a tuft of terms at the

top. They store food in the stem, unlike bulbs which store

food reserves in the leaves (Bareja, 2010).

This study was conducted to find a new source of

bioplastic from Chinese taro. Using bioplastic to replace

the synthetic plastics can be a solution to solve the

global warming and reduce carbon footprint which leads to

pollution on the environment. With this implanted in mind,

the researchers are determined to pursue study on

bioplastics.

Objectives

This study aimed to analyze the effect of

Chinese taro as a source of bioplastic. Specifically, this

study sought to investigate the following:

1.) The physical properties of the bioplastic sample

from Chinese taro in terms of: elasticity, tensile

strength, biodegradability; and

2.) Find out if there is a significant difference on the

amount of Chinese taro starch mixed with glycerin

and vinegar on the quality of the bioplastic in

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terms of elasticity and tensile strength except

biodegradability.

Null Hypothesis

There is no significant effect on the amount of

Chinese taro starch mixed with glycerin and vinegar to the

quality of the bioplastic that will be produced.

Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored on Robert Hooke’s Law: Law of

elasticity. It is also supported by the Buckling theory:

deformation and flow and by the three theories on the

behaviors of plasticizers added to a polymer: the lubricity

theory, gel theory theory and the free volume theory.

Hooke’s law, law of elasticity states that, for

relatively small deformations of an object, the

displacement or size of the deformation is directly

proportional to the deforming force or load. Under these

conditions the object returns to its original shape and

size upon removal of the load. This law describes the

elastic properties of materials only in the range in which

the force and displacement are proportional.

 5

Hooke’s explanation on his law is further elaborated

to the Buckling Theory which is divided into two parts:

deformation and flow. Batdorf (n.d.) notes that theories of

plastic buckling based on the deformation theories are in

better agreement with experiment than those based on flow

theories. Test in which a material is compressed into the

plastic range and then subjected to shear at constant

compressive stress are in better agreement with flow than

with deformation theories. Legitimate doubt therefore has

existed as to the validity of any theory for the plastic

buckling of plates.

The lubricity theory describes the effect of an

external plasticizer on a polymer in terms of lubrication.

A dry polymer, a resin without plasticizer, is rigid

because friction exists between its chains, binding them

into a network. When the polymer is heated in order to be

plasticized, the binding is weakened and the small

plasticizer molecules are able to slip between the chains.

When the polymer cools, the plasticizer acts as a lubricant

between the chains allowing them to slip.

The gel theory which is the extension of the first

theory proposes that the plasticizer molecules break up the

polymer-polymer interaction by getting in between the

 6

chains and obscuring the interaction sites from the polymer

molecules.

Free volume theory is an expanded theory that allows

for some quantitative analysis of polymer-plasticizer

interaction. The free volume of a polymer greatly increases

when it reaches the glass transition temperature. The study

of plasticization is essentially the study of methods for

lowering the glass transition temperature.

Figure 1 showed the conceptual framework of the study

which showed two boxes. This diagram showed the dependent

and independent variables of the study. The left box showed

the amount of starch on the composition of the Chinese taro

mixture which is the independent variable while the right

box showed the ability of the Chinese taro mixture as a

source of bioplastic in terms of tensile strength,

elasticity and biodegradability as the dependent variable

of the study.

Quality of

bioplastic in terms

of:
Independent Variable Dependent Variable
Tensile
Chinese taro
strength
(Xanthosoma
Elasticity
sagittifolium) Biodegradabili
ty
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Figure 1. Conceptual Paradigm showing the Variables in the

Study

Significance of the Study

The researcher had made a bioplastic product out of

Chinese taro starch because polymers which are made up of

long chains of molecules are found in it; in addition,

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bioplastics have a lot of benefits that would contribute in

our society.

According to Woodford (2017), bioplastic replace many

harmful conventional plastics. Since bioplastic are derived

from renewable biomass source such us vegetable fats and

oils, cornstarch and microbiota, they generally don’t

produce a net increase in carbon dioxide gas when they

break down. They are tested as saving 30-80% of the

greenhouse gas emissions you would get from normal plastics

and they can give food longer shell-life in stores.

They can also be fully biodegradable. They decay into

natural materials that blend harmlessly with soil. Some

bioplastics break down in a matter of weeks for molecules

from cornstarch slowly absorb water and dwell up, causing

to break apart into small fragments that bacteria can

digest more readily. They also don’t contain additives that

are harmful to health, such as phthalates or biphenol A,

and they don’t change the flavor of scent of the food

contained.

In conducting the experiment, the materials such as

the variable, Chinese taro, is available in our locality

which is an advantage, and it is also cheap. This study

also helps finding out another use of Chinese taro aside

from it is being used in cooking and as ornaments. If this

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study would have best results, then it is sure to be very

reliable that it could be sold to the market; consequently,

it could catch the consumers’ attention that it would be a

trend.

Scope and delimitation of the study

This study covers about the use of Chinese taro

(Xanthosoma sagittifolium) as a source of biodegradable

plastic. This research study was mainly focused on the

ability of Chinese taro in producing bioplastic that can

help our society in minimizing the impact on the

environment caused by the greenhouse gases. This research

study would be more significant and comprehensive if the

bioplastic product of Chinese taro would have great results

that it would be commercialized into the market.

This study was conducted at Sindangan National

High School, Barangay Dapaon, Sindangan Zamboanga del Norte

which offers Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics (STEM).

In this study, there was only one variable

included, the Chinese taro (Xanthosoma sagittifolium)

(Independent Variable) and its capability of being a source

of bioplastic (Dependent Variable). The study was conducted

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within the school year 2017-2018. The experimental research

design would be used in this study.

Chapter 2

Review of Literature

This chapter presents the synthesis of related studies

about the study. The variables used in this study are

separated in relation to their uses in each study.

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Bioplastic

Bioplastics are biodegradable materials that come from

renewable resources and can be used to reduce the problem

of contaminating plastic waste that is suffocating the

planet and contaminating the environment. They are a

hundred percent biodegradable, equally resistant and

versatile, already used in agriculture, textile industry,

medicine and, overall, in the container and packaging

market, and biopolymers are already becoming popular in

cities throughout Europe.

Commonly used types of bioplastics are based on

cellulose, starch, glucose and oil. Specific techniques are

then employed to convert the feed stock into thermoplastic

starch, polylactic acid, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, polyamide

II and biopolyethylene.

Starch-based plastics

Starch is a carbohydrate, a plant reserve

polysaccharide; most higher plants produce it and use it as

a form of storage energy. They store it inside the cells,

in the form of spherical granules, the so-called granules.

It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (“Starch,”

n.d.). A glycosidic bond links monomer glucose units which

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build amylose and amylopectin, two different molecules of

starch. There is more amylopectin in starch grains than

amylose between seventy (70) and ninety (90) percent and

ten (10) and thirty (30) percent, respectively. Amylose is

not branched, while amylopectin is branched at every twelve

(12) to thirty (30) glucose residues. The presence of

starch is proven with iodine solution.

It is the main component of starch plastics. The

starch is not a real thermoplastic, but in the presence of

a plasticizer. It is due to the amylopectin which prevents

starch from becoming plastic-like so the starch must be

destructed first so that it will be able to behave like a

plastic. Starch was destructed with energy and heat, and

the crystal structure is clearly disrupted.

According to Abolida (2015), starch is one of the most

common and easily obtained natural polymers, making it

attractive as a potential bio-based alternative to

synthetic polymers. Starch-based bioplastics represent from

85% to 90% of market’s bioplastic. Despite on its

popularity in the market, the limitation to starch formed

products is poor water resistance and it does not have a

lot of strength. Examples of starch-based products are

trash bags, eating utensils and disposable golf tees. Among

starch bioplastics are those manufactured with native or

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slightly modified starches, either isolated or blended with

natural or synthetic molecules.

Based on the study conducted by M Sujuthi and Liew

(2016) in which they used three types of starch (cassava,

corn and potato) to produce the bioplastic sheets. The

sheets were produced with the mixture of bioplastic (B)

incorporated with recycled newspaper pulp fibre (N) at four

different ratios (newspaper pulp fibres: bioplastic) N50%:

50%, N30%: B70, N10%: B90% and N0%: B100%. Based on the

results, the tensile strength decreases as the amount of

bioplastic ratio increases.

Rico and Diangco (n.d.) conducted a study on

bioplastics from uncooked sweet potato peelings, uncooked

sweet potato flesh and cooked sweet potato peelings and

flesh. In this study, they had tested the tensile strength

and elasticity. They had found out that bioplastic made

from uncooked sweet potato peelings has no significant

difference with bioplastic made from uncooked sweet potato

flesh in terms of tensile strength and elasticity.

The study of Vilpoux and Averous (2002) implied that

besides being susceptible to moisture, starch biopolymers

have mechanical properties that change as time goes by,

apart from their low resistance to impacts. Moreover, in

the case of thermoformed products, the thinness of formed

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results limits the use of starch derivatives. The use of

starch and its derivatives as the only component of

biodegradable materials was object of a number of surveys.

Techniques on starch plastification were developed to allow

the manufacturing of objects.

Chinese taro (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) as a Main Component

of Bioplastic

Chinese taro, its common name cocoyam, is an

herbaceous, nanocotyledonous crop that belongs to Araceae

family. Its plant is a stout, perennial herb to two (2)

meters tall with a thickened, tuberous, underground stem

(corm) and numerous smaller tuberous offshoots (cormels);

spreads by slender rhizomes; exudes milky, watery sap when

cut. It differs from taro which has smaller, peltate,

glaucous leaves, and clear and reddish sap (“Xanthosoma

sagittifolium, n.d.).
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Based on the investigation of Sarna, Hughes, Abbas, &

Shahba (2011), the stem is a starch-rich underground

structure, the corm, from which offshoots called cormel

develop. It is a staple food in the tropics and subtropics

and one of the six important root and tuber crops

worldwide. The corm, cormels, and leaves of cocoyam are an

important source of carbohydrates for human nutrition.

Warkoryo, Marseno, Nugroho and Karyadi stated that

Xanthosoma sagittifolium has high amylose content (35.34%)

twice than cassava starch, making it possible to produce

strong and flexible edible film.

Glycerin as an Additive (Plasticizer)

Glycerin is a compound that can be made from natural

products such as vegetable oil, or can be synthesized from

propylene alcohol. The result is an alcohol-based product

that is an ingredient in many skin-care products. Glycerin,

also called glycerol, can be used for both cosmetic

purposes and as a treatment for medical conditions of the

skin. Most people are very tolerant of glycerin, without

experiencing irritation. The effects of glycerin on skin

are a healthier, more natural-looking appearance. It is

also used as sweetener in food industry and as humectants

in pharmaceutical formulations. It is also proven that it

is safe to be used as plasticizers.

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According to Ezeoha and Ezenwanne (2013), plasticizers

are used due to their ability to reduce internal hydrogen

bonding between polymer chains while increasing molecular

space. Amato, Karl & Ng (2001) also added that plasticizers

enhance the flow of characteristics of polymers by

decreasing their glass transition temperature. Tensile

strength also generally decreases with addition of

plasticizers. The process of plasticization of a solid

polymer goes through a change from hard and brittle to hard

and tough then soft to tough. In choosing an appropriate

plasticizer, several considerations are important. The

temperature, the desired degree of flexibility, the size of

the plasticizer molecule, and the efficiency of the polymer

must be taken account. Efficiency in this case is basically

a measure of how much plasticizer must be added to achieve

the given amount of softness in the polymer. The larger the

molecule (more carbon atoms), the lower the efficiency is.

More highly branched molecules also make for less efficient

plasticizer. However, increasing the size of the molecule

increases its mass, and therefore lowers volatility. This

is desirable if your polymer is to be used in high-

temperature applications, where more volatile molecules

would evaporate out.

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According to Vilpoux and Averous (2002), a plasticizer

is added in a ratio changing from twenty (20) to forty (40)

percent to the starch weight. The plasticizer content is

directly related to the mechanical properties and glassy

transition of the material.

Vinegar as an additive (Acid Hydrolysis)

Vinegar is a versatile liquid that is created from

the fermentation of ethanol. The key ingredient is acetic

acid, which gives acidic taste, although there may be

additions of other kinds of acid like tartaric and citric.

The typical pH of vinegar ranges anywhere from two (2) to

three point five (3.5), although the store-bought kind

usually measures two point four (2.4). In food preparation

procedures, it is a multipurpose product as an ingredient

and condiment. Vinegar has also medicinal, household

cleaning and agricultural uses other than cooking material

(Hunter, n.d.). Vinegar acts as Bronsted-Lowry acid based

on the Bronsted-Lowry acid theory. It donates a proton

(H+).
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Based on the study of Olorunsula and Mohammed (2012),

acid hydrolysis improves the physiochemical properties of

starch and that the starch can be used to produce high

quality.

Chapter 3

Methodology

This study presents the synthesis of research design,

research locale, and subjects of the study. The

experimental procedure, data gathering procedure that was

collected was also included in this chapter.

Research Design

Experimental design was the research design that was

used in the study. The ability of Chinese taro in terms of

tensile strength, elasticity, texture, color and

biodegradability as a new source of bioplastic was tested

to find out if there’s a significant effect of the said

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variable on the following properties. This study was in a

single-group design wherein the amount of Chinese taro

could affect the properties of the bioplastic product from

Chinese taro starch mixture. Its tensile strength and

elasticity was tested by using a spring balance and ruler

and the samples were exposed to the soil and to the air in

order to find out how many days, weeks or months it would

decompose.

Research Locale

This study was conducted at Sindangan National High

School Science Laboratory. It was best to conduct the study

at the said location for it provided all of the materials

and facilities that was helpful in making the product; in

addition, the science teacher in the school would really

help the researchers to assess them in doing the

experiment.

Subject of the Study

The study on Chinese taro (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) as

a source of bioplastic aimed to find out if the amount of

Chinese taro used would affect the tensile strength,

elasticity biodegradability, texture and color of the

product from it. The amount of glycerin used might also

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affect the properties of the product in terms of tensile

strength, biodegradability and elasticity.

Experimental Procedure of the Study

A. Preparation of the materials

Two (2) kilos of fresh Chinese taro was bought at

the Sindangan Public Market. These were washed thoroughly

with tap water. Half (1/2) litre of glycerin was bought

with the help of Harrold Christian Orbase, one of the

researchers’ father. The other materials were bought at

the market as well.

B. Extraction of the starch

The Chinese taros were then peeled off, and were

soaked in a bowl of water. The flesh of chinese taro was

grated using a grater in a bowl, and this was then soaked

in a bowl of water. Using a strainer, the grated flesh

was then squeezed in a bowl to extract the starch. The

filtered liquid was left for half a day to settle the

starch. A white layer was formed at the bottom of the

container showing that the starch has already settled.

This process was repeated until only starch was only

left. The liquid was then decanted into another strainer

leaving the starch.

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C. Production of bioplastics

Three trays were prepared for which the bioplastics

was placed labelled as sample A, sample B, and sample C

and sample D. Sample A which contains twenty (20) grams

of starch, two (2) teaspoons of vinegar, two (2) cups of

water and two(2) teaspoons glycerin; Sample B which

contains, forty (40) grams of starch, two (2)teaspoons of

vinegar, two (2) cups of water and two (2) teaspoons of

glycerin; and Sample C which contains sixty (60) grams of

starch, two (2) teaspoons of vinegar, two (2) cups of

water and two (2) teaspoons of glycerin. The three

different samples were cooked at 190 degrees celsius

using a non-stick pan. The mixture was stirred the whole

time until it has become sticky and bubbles have started

coming out. After which, it was then poured into the

tray. It was then dried under the sun for about three (3)

days.

Data Gathering Procedure

In this study, the properties of bioplastic,

biodegradability, elasticity, tensile strength, and were

assessed by the researchers. Each sample was cut into six

(6) equal sizes; three (3) was used for biodegradability

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test and the other three (3) was used for testing the

tensile strength and elasticity.

In testing the biodegradability, three (3) samples

were also exposed in air. Each sample was composed of three

(3) bioplastic sheets with equal sizes. Data was gathered

every week for three (3) weeks. These were assessed through

sensory evaluation.

Elasticity and tensile strength were tested at the

same time. These properties were examined using a spring

balance. Each sample comprised three (3) trials. The

initial length of each bioplastic has been measured first.

The cross-sectional area of each bioplastic was measured

first using a vernier caliper. An object with a weight of

1/2 kg was put on the spring balance until the bioplastic

sample tore apart that showed the tensile strength limit.

The length of the bioplastic sample has measured every time

a half (1/2) kg of object using a ruler in centimeters.

This was conducted to determine if there are any changes on

the length of the bioplastic sample.

The following formula was used to test the tensile

strength and the elasticity of the bioplastics:

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1. Tensile strength. This was the maximum load that each

bioplastic sample could withstand. To find this, the

formula that would been used is:

TS = Load
Area
2. Elasticity. This was the maximum stretch it could

withstand without breaking when stress was applied. The

formula for finding this was:

E= Stress Strain= L
Strain , Li
*where L was the elongation and Li was the initial

length

Treatment of Data

The data gathered in this study were treated

statistically. The advocates had found the mean of the

tensile strength, the mean of the elasticity, and the mean

of the time interval a bioplastic. This was used in

retorting the first problem: What would be the effect of

the difference in amount of the mixture on the properties?

In order to determine the significance of the Chinese taro

starch, glycerin, and vinegar as a source of bioplastic,

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was the statistical tool used

in which the researchers were be able to answer the second

problem: How would the composition of the bioplastic

product affect its properties: tensile strength,

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biodegradability, elasticity, color and texture. This would

be either accepted or rejected.

Chapter 4

Results and Discussions

This chapter presents the outcome and the discussions

of the data gathered to explain the effect of the amounts

of Chinese taro starch mixed with glycerin and vinegar on

the quality of the bioplastic that was made from the

mixture. The presentation of data was arranged based on the

order of problems stated in Chapter 1.

A. The effect of different amounts of Chinese taro starch

as source of bioplastic

To elaborate the effect of different levels of Chinese

taro starch as the source of bioplastic, three samples were

made and their tensile strength and elasticity were

completed. In each sample, different amounts of Chinese

taro starch and same amount of glycerin, vinegar, and water

 25

were used. After producing the bioplastic, each sample had

undergone biodegradability testing, tensile strength

testing and elasticity testing.

Table 1 shows the biodegradability (suspended in the air)

of bioplastic from the different amounts Chinese taro

starch in producing bioplastic.

Table 1. Biodegradability (suspended in the air) of

Bioplastic from the Different Amounts Chinese taro starch

in producing Bioplastic

Biodegradability (suspended in the air)

Samples Trials Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

A 1 No sign of being There was a The samples are

20 grams of degraded, no molds change in shape fully covered
2
starch found and color, no with molds
3 molds which are signs
that they were
degrading

B 1 No signs of being There was a The samples are

40 grams of degraded, no molds change in shape fully covered
starch 2 and color, no with molds
molds which are signs
3 that they were
degrading

C 1 No signs of being There was a The samples are

60 grams of degraded, without change in shape fully covered
starch 2 molds and color, no with molds
3 molds which are signs
that they were
 26

degrading

D 1 No signs of being There was a The samples are

80 grams of degraded, without change in shape fully covered
starch 2 molds and color, no with molds
molds which are signs
3 that they were
degrading

Based on table 1, it was found that from week one

(1) to three (3) each of the samples had the same results

which means that varying the amounts of Chinese taro starch

did not affect its biodegradability property.

The result of the testing of the tensile strength

affected by the different levels of Chinese taro starch as

source of bioplastic are shown on table 2. Sample A

containing 20 grams of starch acted as the control group

while samples B, C were the experimental group containing

40 and 60grams of starch. The table presented the mean of

the tensile strength of each samples.

Table 2.The mean of the tensile strength testing with

different levels of Chinese taro starch in the bioplastic

composition.

Sample Tensile Strength

(Pa=N/m2)
A 172222.23
B 52241.72
 27

C 958333.33

Based on table 2, the average mean of the tensile

strength on the sample B is lesser compared to the control

group, but the sample C yielded the greatest tensile

strength.

These results were elaborated to the study of Vilpoux

and Averous (n.d) which stated that a plasticizer is added

in a ratio changing from twenty (20) to forty (40) percent

to the starch weight.

Table 3. The mean of the elasticity property testing with

different levels of Chinese taro starch in the bioplastic

composition.

Samples Elasticity

(E= stress)

Strain
A 6 351 852.233
B 15 412 901.04
C 28 769 841.27

Based on table 3, the mean of the elasticity property

of sample C had the greatest value of elasticity compared

to the control group which was the sample A.

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B. ANOVA of the ability of the Chinese taro used as

source of bioplastic

Analysis of Variance was the statistical tool used in

this study because there were four replications that were

used to know whether the null hypothesis was rejected or

accepted.

Table 3 depicted the results of the analysis of variance

on the different proportions of the components in producing

bioplastic such that only the amounts of Chinese taro

starch were manipulated. The sample A containing 20 grams

of starch was the control group while the other samples

were the experimental group.

Table 4. ANOVA Table of the tensile strength testing with

different levels of Chinese taro in the bioplastic

composition.

Sum of Degrees Mean Square F Sig.

Squares of
Freedom
Between 12681535770 2 634076788524.8 2.277 .184
Groups 49.757 79
Within 16705735240 6 278428920667.2
Groups 03.398 33
Total 29387271010 8
53.155
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It was found out that the p- value was greater than

the alpha of 0.05. This explains that the addition of

Chinese taro starch on the composition of the bioplastic

did not affect the tensile property of the bioplastic.

Thus, the null hypothesis which stated that there was no

significant effect on the amount of glycerin, Chinese taro

starch and vinegar in producing bioplastic was accepted.

Table 5. ANOVA table of the elasticity testing with

different levels of Chinese taro in the bioplastic

composition.

Sum of Degree of Mean F Sig.

Squares freedom Square
Between 97356378333 2 48678189 1.230 .357
Groups 1207.000 1665603.5
00
Within 23740320515 6 39567200
Groups 30298.000 8588383.0
00
Total 33475958348 8
61505.000

Based on the previous table shown, the p-value was

found to be greater than the alpha of 0.05. This explains

that the elasticity property was not affected with the

manipulation of the amount of Chinese taro starch.

Chapter 5

Summary, Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

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This chapter presents the summary, findings,

conclusions and recommendations of the study. In this

chapter, it is where the findings are summarized

generalizations in the form of conclusions are made and the

recommendations for the solution of the problem discovered

in the study.

Summary

This study aimed to find out another source of

bioplastic such as Chinese Taro since it is found in the

locality. The levels of Chinese Taro starch were also

tested in order to get the best proportion that has the

best performance. This study was conducted at the Physical

Science Laboratory at Sindangan National High School, a

suitable place in executing the experiment due to its

controlled area and availability of laboratory apparatus.

There were 6(six) sheets in every sample: three (3) for the

biodegradability testing and the other three (3) for

tensile strength and elasticity testing. 4 treatments were

prepared, each to be applied to three replicates with

treatment A having the proportion of 20g of starch, 2 cups

of water, 2 teaspoons of glycerin and 2 teaspoons of

vinegar; treatment B having the proportion of 40g of

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starch, 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of glycerin and 2

teaspoons of vinegar; treatment C having the proportion of

80g of starch, 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of glycerin and

2 teaspoons of vinegar. The tensile strength was tested

using a spring scale and the elasticity was tested using a

ruler. The biodegradability in air was observed for about 3

weeks.

Findings

The study aimed to determine the effect of Chinese

taro, water, vinegar and glycerin mixture as a source of

bioplastic, sought to answer the following problems found

in the objectives in chapter 1.

1. A. In terms on the biodegradability of the bioplastic,

the amount of starch did not affect the biodegradability

of each sample.

B. In terms on the elasticity of the bioplastic,

sample C, which has the greatest amount of starch, had the

greatest value of elasticity compared to the control group

which was the sample A that has the least amount of

starch.

C. In terms on the tensile strength of the

bioplastic, the tensile strength of the sample B was

 32

lesser compared to the control group which is sample

A, but sample C had the greatest tensile strength.

2. Based on the results gathered, there was no

significant effect on the amount of Chinese taro starch

with glycerin and vinegar on the quality of the bioplastic

that was produced.

Conclusions

With the study conducted, it was found that varying

the amounts of Chinese taro starch did not affect its

tensile strength so did with its elastic property and

biodegardability. In general, with the product obtained by

using Chinese taro starch, it could still be used as

another source of bioplastic.

Recommendations

Based on the results of the study, the following

recommendations are stated including:

 33

1. A helpful contribution will be imparted to the

environment if the consumers will use products from

bioplastic.

2. Factories will not anymore fully rely on corns,

potatoes, sugar canes, etc. As a main component of

bioplastic since they could use the Chinese taro for

its properties are also competent with the common

tuber crops that are used in bioplastic production.

3. Factories that will be using Chinese taro as a main

component of making starch-based bioplastics will have

lower expenses since Chinese taro starch is a low-cost

corm crop compared to other tuber crops.

4. Use a grater with smaller holes so that it will be

easy to squeeze the grated Chinese Taro flesh.

5. Cheesecloth would be preferable as a strainer in

extracting the starch from Chinese Taro to get more

starch.

6. Do not overheat the mixture under the sun. To avoid

overheating, try drying it naturally at room

temperature or use a blow dryer. Overheating it under

the sun will cause the mixture to have large cracks.

7. Try to use rolling pins so that the bioplastic sheet

will be even.
 34

8. Place an aluminum foil on the top of the tray before

pouring the mixture on the tray so that it will be

easier to remove the mixture when it is already dry.

9. Extend the time allotment in observing the

biodegradability of the bioplastic and try to observe

the biodegradability in soil. If possible, try to have

a detailed observation like jotting down the kind of

weather and measuring the temperature of the

surroundings at night affect the rate of

biodegradability. It can be also be that the weather

is in control and each bioplastics will be weighed

when gathering to determine if there is a decrease of

weight.

10. Try to vary the amount of glycerin added on the

mixture to observe if there is an improvement on its

elasticity. You can range the amount up to 20-40%

depending on the weight of the starch.

11. Try to add some color on the mixture to make the

bioplastic more attractive.

12. Try to include these following properties: water

absorbency and flammability.

13. Try to add some other additives that will improve

the performance of the bioplastic.

35
 36

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