Marine-derived biopolymers as potential bioplastics, an eco-friendly alternative

Abstract

The manufacturing and consumption of plastic products have steadily increased over the past decades due to rising global demand, resulting not only in the depletion of petroleum resources but also increased environmental pollution due to the non-biodegradable nature of conventional plastics. Moreover, despite being introduced into the market as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics, biobased plastics are mainly manufactured from agricultural crop-based sources, which has negative impacts on the environment and the livelihoods of people. Marine-derived bioplastics are becoming a promising and cost-effective solution to the rising demand for plastic products. The physicochemical, biological, and degradation properties of marine-derived bioplastics have made them promising substances for many applications. However, more research is required for their large-scale implementation. Therefore, this review summarizes the raw materials of marine-derived bioplastics such as algae, animals, and microorganisms, as well as their extraction processes and properties. These insights could thus accelerate the production of marine-derived bioplastics as a novel alternative to prevailing bioplastics by taking advantage of marine biomass.

Keywords: Aquatic science; Natural resources; Oceanography.

Graphical abstract

Figure 1

Forecast of global bioplastic production capacity from 2022 to 2026, adapted with modification from European Bioplastics

Figure 2

Chemical and physical structures of marine-derived monomers and polymers Chemical structures of Monomer units of (A) Green, (B) Brown, and (C) Red macro-algae, (D) Chitin and Chitosan (E) PLA, PBS, and PHA. (F) Structure of Collagen and Gelatin.

Figure 3

Flowchart of biopolymer extraction processes

Figure 4

Schematic representation of Marine derived-bioplastic production processes