https://doi.org/10.17113/fftb.63.02.25.8949

Article in press

Characterization and in situ Biodegradation Analysis of PHA-Coated Brown Kraft Paper for Potential Sustainable Packaging

Sevakumaran Vigneswari^1,2*, Mohammad Amir Huzer Mohammad Idris³, Siti Nor Syairah Anis³, Seeram Ramakrishna⁴ and Amirul Al-Ashraf Abdullah^3*

¹Institute of Climate Adaptation and Microbial Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Terengganu, Malaysia

²Ocular Infections and Antimicrobials Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore

³School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia

⁴Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117581 Singapore, Singapore

Copyright © 2024 This is a Diamond Open Access article published under CC-BY licence. Copyright remains with the authors, who grant third parties the unrestricted right to use, copy, distribute and reproduce the article as long as the original author(s) and source are acknowledged.

Article history:

Received: 11 November 2024

Accepted: 27 May 2025

Keywords:

PHA-coated brown kraft paper; sustainable packaging material; biodegradation analysis; biodegradable films

The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States.

Summary:

Research background. Biodegradable packaging is gaining immense research interest as conventional non-biodegradable food packaging has led to significant environmental pollution. In response to this, the study was pursued to develop polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) based biodegradable films as potential food packaging material.

Experimental approach. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) homopolymer, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] and copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)], known microbial biodegradable biopolymer plastics, were layered in different mass ratios using the dispersion coating technique over the brown kraft paper as a food packaging material. PHA are known to be safe, non-cytotoxic and non-genotoxic with a remarkable ability to biodegrade in the environment. The P(3HB) and P(3HB-co-3HV) were synthesized using transformant bacteria strain of lipase genes-harbouring Cupriavidus malaysiensis USMAA2-4ABH16 from carbon sources of palm olein and a combination of palm olein with 1-pentanol, respectively.

Results and conclusions. Contact angle analysis indicated that P(3HB-co-3HV)-coated brown kraft paper had a higher contact angle in comparison to non-coated and P(3HB)-coated brown kraft paper. The biodegradation analysis of P(3HB)-coated brown kraft paper showed that 100 % degradation was achieved within 9 days, in comparison with all samples of P(3HB-co-3HV)-coated brown kraft paper that were completely degraded by day 12.

Novelty and scientific contribution. The results show that P(3HB-co-3HV)-coated brown kraft paper was more hydrophobic than non-coated and P(3HB)-coated brown kraft paper. This study encourages further investigations of brown kraft paper coated with PHA in terms of the potential development of biodegradable food packaging, paving the way as a sustainable alternative for non-biodegradable packaging material.