Analysis of bacterial adhesion of bioplastic obtained from Hedychium coronarium (Lírio do Brejo) Nayara Belo Fonseca, Priscila Reina Siliano

Abstract

The need to generate materials for human consumption and their subsequent disposal causes environmental problems to occur with an emphasis on the extraction of raw materials and their final post-consumption destination. Currently, emphasis is placed on the development of technologies that are suitable for making better use of raw materials of plant origin that are non-food, easy to obtain and biodegradable. Adhesion is the first step towards bacterial installation in the material, for subsequent biodegradation. With this objective, this work presents the development of technology that allows better use of the plant Hedychium coronarium (Brejo lily), which is easy to proliferate and is currently harmful to other species considered more noble. Thus, the starch was extracted from the marsh lily rhizome by crushing and successive washing with water and decantation, and purification was carried out with other washes with ethyl alcohol; in this way, the starch was separated from the other constituents. After drying, the extracted starch was used to obtain bioplastic by adding plasticizers under appropriate conditions of temperature, time, concentrations and pH, obtaining a film with appropriate properties (thickness, adhesion, malleability and dyeability). To verify bacterial adhesion, the bioplastic obtained was subjected to inoculation with various bacteria. With the results, through the tests carried out, it was possible to verify that the film obtained is a suitable medium for the adhesion of bacteria. The presence of bacteria attached to the plastic is a positive factor from the point of view of biodegradation, as the installation of microorganisms is extremely important in the process.