Profitable exploitation of biodegradable polymer including chitosan blended potato peels' starch waste as an alternative source of petroleum plastics

Humans are extensively using synthetic plastic products for multiple life purposes. Non-degradability of these products affected the nature and extremely harms the environment. Herein, biodegradable membranes with different ratios of chitosan/starch waste have been prepared. These membranes have been submitted for in vitro enzymatic biodegradation followed by examination by SEM, FTIR, Raman scattering spectral analyses, surface roughness measurement, degree of swelling, and contact angle. The obtained membranes showed biodegradability significant features which increased by increasing starch ratio and has been confirmed by the formation of holes that were demonstrated by SEM micrographs. Both of surface roughness and water uptake values of the prepared membranes have been increased in all prepared membranes after the enzymatic treatment to the maximum measured value of 0.87 mu m and 200%, respectively. However, water contact angle values of the prepared membranes have been decreased after the enzymatic treatment to reach 25 theta as the lowest measured value. These results suggest the application of chitosan-blended starch membranes as alternatives for petroleum plastics with more environmental safety.