Gone With The Tide: The Biodegradation of Bioplastics in a Simulated Marine Environment

Overview

I studied how chitosan (a natural, eco-friendly material derived from the crushed shells of crab or shrimp) affects the biodegradation rate—how fast something degrades in nature—of bioplastics in a marine environment. As standard plastic lasts in the ocean for hundreds of years, choking marine life and crumbling into toxic microplastics, in contrast, bioplastic is designed to break down naturally in only a few weeks. I tested 5 different ratios of chitosan to alginate, a seaweed-derived powder used to make bioplastic, in a marine-like environment: salty water filled with dirt and microorganisms for 15 days. Preliminary results show that although all the 5 bioplastic (various ratios chitosan to alginate) were biodegradable, higher chitosan amounts slowed the process while strengthening the plastic. This shows we can create balance: By making a straw or container that is strong enough to use but still disappears over time if it ends up in the ocean.

Awards (1)

• Selected for CWSF 2026

Competition history

• CWSF 2026 Environment & Climate Change

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