Effects of Gum Arabic on the Quality of Bacterial Cellulose Sorbitol Plastic from Pineapple (Ananas sativus)Peel Waste

Abstract

Abstract – Research on synthesis and characterization of bacterial cellulose sorbitol – gum arabic (BCS-GA) plastic has been conducted. The purpose of this research was to study effects of addition of gum arabic on the quality of BCS-GA plastic produced from pineapple (Ananas sativus) peel waste. The synthesis of BCS-GA was done by fermentation of extract of pineapple peel waste added with varied mass of gum arabic in the present of  Acetobacter xylinum bacteria to produce BCS-GA gel.  Purified BCS-GA gel was pressed under 300 psi to produce BCS-GA plastic. BCS-GA plastic was characterized to determine the physical and mechanical properties as well as the biodegradation ability. The results showed that the percentage of water content of BCS-GA gel was increased by addition of gum arabic. The swelling degree of BCS-GA plastic also increased by addition of gum arabic up to 5 gram, and then decreased. The tensile strength, elongation and modulus young were also increased by addition of gum arabic. The maximum tensile strength of plastic with 5 gram addition of gum arabic was 8.29 KN/m with  3.23% of elongation. The percentage of biodegradation plastic was also increased by addition of gum arabic. Biodegradation ability reached 50.93% with 7 gram addition of gum arabic up to 9^th  days of buried in soil. Thus, the addition of gum arabic increased quality of BCS-GA plastic compared to pure  BC plastic, but it has not yet reached the standard of nonbiodegradable plastic quality.