Isolation and characterisation of a novel biopolymer from acrocomia aculeata Farrah Mathura 1,* and Sarah R. Mathura 2 1 Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, 2 Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago Email: farrah.mathura@my.uwi.edu, Sarah.Mathura@my.uwi.edu * - Corresponding Author The discovery and characterisation of novel biopolymers have garnered significant attention due to their applications in sustainable food packaging and the pharmaceutical industry. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 emphasises the importance of sustainable production practices and the need to reduce waste generation. Biopolymers derived from renewable sources, such as plants, hold tremendous potential in achieving these goals by providing sustainable alternatives to conventional polymers derived from fossil fuels. Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd ex Mart palm trees grow in tropical regions and their fruits are edible[1]. The fruits have a sticky, firm mesocarp or pulp which contains a unique biopolymer. The purpose of this research was to isolate and characterise the biopolymer from Acrocomia aculeata fruit pulp. Mature fruits were deshelled, and the gelatinous fluid from the mesocarp was extracted via a multistep process. The solution was centrifuged, and the supernatant was concentrated at 60˚ C. The transparent, bioplastic sheet was freeze dried for 24 hours and characterised using Chroma, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), burst strength, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Bioplastic sheets were produced using the low-cost procedure. Analyses revealed low burst strength and pore size. The bioplastic had acceptable optical properties but low mechanical strength. Preliminary chemical characterisation revealed the presence of different functional groups. This research explores the plant's biopolymer diversity and opens possibilities for its practical applications in various fields while promoting sustainability and reducing environmental impacts. Plant based gelatine sheets, edible films, and bioplastics can be novel uses of these underutilised fruits. Further characterisation of the biopolymer, using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, and X-ray Diffraction, is needed. Future work will be conducted to investigate the effects of additives on the polymer and to optimise the purification and transparency of the biopolymer. References 1. Alfaro-Solís JD, Montoya-Arroyo A, Jiménez VM, Arnáez-Serrano E, Pérez J, Vetter W, Frank J, Lewandowski I. (2020) Acrocomia Aculeata Fruits from Three Regions in Costa Rica: An Assessment of Biometric Parameters, Oil Content and Oil Fatty Acid Composition to Evaluate Industrial Potential. Agroforestry Systems 94 (5): 1913–1927. doi:10.1007/s10457-020- 00511-8.
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