Assessment of baseline physicochemical qualities of carrageenan-based bioplastics from Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed for their packaging applications

This study examines the potential of carrageenan derived from Kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed as a biopolymer for bioplastic film production, with a focus on its applications in packaging. The incorporation of β-chitin from squid gladius with amylose and amylopectin derived from starch additives, which has been found to significantly enhance water resistance; a key challenge in bioplastic applications due to the hydrophobic nature of β-chitin was investigated. The films were comprehensively evaluated for their tensile strength, moisture content, biodegradability, surface morphology, thermal stability, water permeability, cytotoxicity and chemical composition to assess their suitability for packaging. Notably, the films reinforced with β-chitin from squid gladius demonstrated superior durability and water resistance, making them promising alternatives for sustainable packaging. Moreover, the films do not exhibit significant cytotoxicity and were shown to exhibit the Tm of 185 ± 15 °C, Tg of 51 ± 2 °C, tensile strength of 12.05 ± 4.62 MPa and 11.58 ± 4.52 MPa by machine and transverse directions respectively, biodegradability of 88.6 ± 0.83 %, with relative smooth surface morphology. This study highlights the potential of integrating seaweed with bio-based hydrophobic additives to enhance the performance of biodegradable plastics.