Abstract
Plastics can be found everywhere in our world today, which are petroleum-based polymers that do not degrade naturally causing pollution and irreversible environmental damage. One of the environmentally friendly alternatives developed are bioplastics, which are biodegradable and various raw materials have been used to create such. In this study, gelatin was extracted from janitor fish (skin and bones) which are abundant, invasive species in the Philippines. This study involves the extraction of gelatin from janitor fish, and, from this fish-based gelatin, produce bioplastic while addressing the problem involving the abundance of janitor fish and the ecological imbalance, invasion, and economic loss they create. For the gelatin extraction from janitor fish skin and bones, the Gudmundsson and Hafsteinsson method of fish gelatin extraction was used. The yield of gelatin, and effect of sorbitol, mixing time and temperature on the bioplastic’s tensile strength were studied. The yield of the gelatin obtained was 7.43 ± 0.695 %. For the tensile strength, analysis was conducted using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in Minitab Software Version 20 to develop a reliable statistical model with a 95% confidence level. The Response Optimizer tool showed that the tensile strength was maximized at 24.98 MPa. The response was optimized at 1:2:13 gelatin:sorbitol:acetic acid solution ratio, a mixing time and temperature of 15 min and 90 oC, respectively. Based on the results, it can be concluded that janitor fish skin and bones have the potential to be used as raw material for bioplastic production.
