Use of green coconut (Cocos nucifera) husk with cassava starch in the production of biostraws

Abstract

The average time of use of a plastic straw (PS) is only 4 min, on the other hand, the average time of decomposition is 300 years. To reduce the environmental damage that PS can cause, the replacement of PS with biodegradable straws (biostraws) can be promoted. Cassava starch (CS) is a promising material for developing biodegradable films. One of the residues from the consumption of green coconut (GC) is the husk, composed of parenchyma (powder), fiber and extractives. In this work,cassava starch-based biostraws were produced using different proportions of fiber and GC bark powder as reinforcement. The biostraws produced were characterized in terms of thickness, moisture content and water solubility. The feasibility of use and immersion resistance was performed in mineral water, industrialized juice, colatype soda and artificial salivary solution. The addition of GC residue resulted in an improvement in the integrity and durability of the biostraws compared to the control sample.