Marine organisms may soon face a fatal encounter with beverage rings and plastic bags thanks to the clever biological materials developed by USC researchers. The team used calcium carbonate (the mineral that imparts shells) to create a biodegradable plastic replacement and matched the citric acid polymer that has been approved for use in medical implants.
“I started thinking that even in our labs everything is single-use plastic because everything has to be sterile. Nothing can contaminate. All of this is very overwhelming for me personally,” Eun Ji Chung led the research team at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
By incorporating different concentrations of calcium carbonate into Poly (1,8-didiol-cItrate), an innovative material called POC-CC, a biodegradable elastomer used in FDA-approved orthotic devices. When tested in simulated seawater over six months, the samples lost up to 8.5% of their body weight, demonstrating their biodegradability while maintaining sufficient strength for practical applications.
Unlike traditional plastics that last for hundreds of years and break down into harmful microplastics, POC-CC materials have been proven to be compatible with marine microorganisms. When ordinary marine algae were exposed to water containing POC-CC degradation products, the researchers found no significant effect on cell viability, a key factor in any material targeting the marine environment.
As a proof of concept, the team successfully created a prototype drink holder ring that was strong enough to support three soda cans that weigh 190 grams. This demonstrates the potential of this material as a practical alternative to conventional plastics in real-world applications.
“Our results show that as the POC content increases and the degradation rate increases, the addition of CC maintains the pH of seawater,” Chung explained.
UNESCO reports that plastic waste accounts for 80% of all marine pollution – 800 million tonnes of pollution entering the ocean every year, which is a promising step towards solving one of our most pressing environmental challenges. The research team is now developing an improved version designed to degrade faster and potentially revolutionize how we package everyday products while protecting marine ecosystems for future generations.
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