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Synthesizing and Testing Biopolymers to Solve the Worldwide Pollution Problem

CSEF · 2026 Environmental Engineering (Senior Division)

Rio Bailey, Keiji Boonyasetha

Overview

Abstract: Introduction: Plastics are one of the most widely used materials on the planet. They are mostly made from petroleum-based polymers, which can be molded into a variety of shapes and are lightweight, strong, and inexpensive (Dhania, n.d.). These qualities have made plastics popular for food packaging, water bottles, medical equipment, electronics, and clothing. If current production and waste trends continue, it's estimated that around 12,000 Mt of plastic waste will be in landfills or in the environment by 2050, representing society’s reliance on plastic (Geyer et al., 2017). Despite these benefits, the composition that makes plastic long-lasting leads to severe environmental problems. Many common plastics decompose extremely slowly, often taking hundreds or thousands of years. Because of this, plastic waste accumulates in landfills and marine environments such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 2025). Things like packaging plastic, straws, and wrappers are especially damaging because they are briefly used but persist for decades. Plastic pollution negatively impacts ecosystems, animals, and humans. Animals often mistake plastic for food or become entangled in waste, leading to injury or death. Over time, plastics break down into microplastics that pollute soil and ecosystems and have been found in organisms worldwide (Dutchen, n.d.). To address this crisis, scientists have developed bioplastics, also known as biopolymers, which are made from renewable sources such as starches, cellulose, and proteins. In this project, biopolymers are synthesized and tested to compare properties with petroleum-based plastics and evaluate their potential as alternatives. Problem Statement: What are bioplastics? Are they truly the solution to plastic pollution and the complete replacement of synthetic plastics? Procedures: First, properties of synthetic plastic were recorded as a control group, focusing on heat resistance, water resistance, and strength. Then, five types of biopolymers( biofoil, bioresin, biosilicone, biorubber, and hard bioplastic) were synthesized by combining gelatin, glycerin, water, and starch in different ratios. They were then heated and stirred before being poured into molds to dry, with their drying time depending on the material. Once dry, the bioplastics were tested on the same properties. Data, images, and observations were recorded throughout the process to evaluate each of the materials. Results: After conducting our experiment, it has been revealed that the bioplastics are reasonably more flexible than the conventional plastics. They do not have the same physical hardness as the synthetic plastics due to the ingredients that were used. However, with a different ratio of our ingredients, we are able to create a stronger plastic. The experiment itself took a couple trials but was an overall success. At first, the bioplastics were jellylike due to the lack of time it had been drying. However, the bioplastics began to harden rapidly. Due to the different recipes of each bioplastic, some were more flexible than others, such as the biofoil. Conclusions: The bioplastics that were produced proved to be pretty successful. However, they do not hold the sufficient properties that are required to compete against conventional plastic. This may be due to the fact that the ingredients used in this experiment are not the exact ones that could be used to create a better bioplastic. Also, due to the lack of lab-grade scales and thermometers as well, the bioplastics were not up to par. Nonetheless, even without bioplastics, it is safe to assume that bioplastics have great potential to become a solution to synthetic plastics.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2026 Environmental Engineering (Senior Division) · Entry S-11-45

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