Astaxanthin Accumulated from Milkfish (Chanos chanos) Scales as a Proliferating Agent in the Oxidation of Low-density Polyethylene

Abstract

The use of plastics had resulted in numerous disasters like unstoppable flashfloods and danger to animals of all forms due to its improper disposal. Astaxanthin from Milkfish scale wastes was added to Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) to produce a fast degrading plastic. Astaxanthin was extracted in milkfish scales using ethanol and palm oil. The strips of LDPE were then immersed in the astaxanthin for 24 hours and were air suspended to remove excess oil. The Intensity of IR waves, permanganate value and functional groups were used to identify whether the product was able to oxidise compared to commercialisedLDPE.The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy has shown the functional groups of Aldehyde, which are found in controlled setup and Aldehyde, Ketone and Ester in the experimental setups (1:1, 1:2, 1:3). The permanganate value consumption has shown that setup with 1:3 ratio had the highest total oxidizable material while the controlled setup has shown negligible values. The Intensity of IR waves has proved that the LDPE could be degraded using a different electromagnetic wave aside from UV light. As an over-all assessment, the setups have shown a significant difference regarding permanganate consumption and intensity of infrared Waves. The results have also shown that using astaxanthin as a proliferating agent is effective for faster oxidation for LDPE plastic, especially with the 1:3 ratio (100 grams of Astaxanthin and 95% concentration of ethanol). It is recommended to determine the Ultraviolet Reflectance and Absorbance to determine the UV degradation of the polyethylene.