Using Green solvents and natural pigments to produce bioplastic

 Scientists based in the University of São Paulo, Brazil and the University of Coimbra’s School of Science and Technology in Portugal, have developed an environmentally sustainable process to produce biodegradable plastic using pigment extracted from yeast by using green solvents.  These solvents can extract two carotenoids, astaxanthin and beta-carotene, from the yeast, Phaffia rhodozyma to produce a biodegradable plastic film based on bioactive starch without any need for additional purification. This biodegradable plastic could be used in the future in smart packaging with antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. This plastic has similar applications to those of conventional plastics derived from fossil fuels. These sustainable bioplastics could become become commercially available in a few years with sufficient funding.



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