Agriculture renewable sources, biodegradable

Renewable raw materials are made or derived from short-term renewable sources (one to a few years or a few tens of years) such as plants, trees, wood wastes and other agricultural products. Not all these materials are necessarily biodegradable. Natural rubber, for example, comes from the latex of a tree (Hevea brasiliensis) and is not biodegradable. Renewable materials are often considered as opposites to fossil sources such as petroleum that are not renewable on a human timescale. On the other hand, some synthesized plastics such as certain polyesters are biodegradable. 

Biotechnology research is seeking to develop new foods, feeds, fiber, and biomass energy production processes that are environmentally safe. Researchers are developing new uses for agricultural products to replace non-renewable sources of raw materials. Their work promises to have broad commercial applications and has already led to the creation of new industries. These discoveries have led to environmentally compatible commercial products such as biodegradable plastics (60), soybean oil printing inks, and super absorbent polymers (67). 

All components used in preparation of cast films were non-toxic and either natural renewable or biodegradable synthetic polymers. Fmthermore, all ingredients are environmentally compatible and can be utilized for application as agriculture mulch. The presence of natural fillers will help maintain organic matter in the soil and urea would act as an additional source of fertilizer nitrogen. 

Other than animals, agricultural materials can also be cmisidered as an ideal source of protein and are prospective materials for the preparation of fibres. Fibres of regenerated protein were produced commercially in between 1930 and 1950, and by today s standards, they would be considered natural, sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable. Casein from milk was used by M/s Courtaulds Ltd. to make Fibrolane and by M/s Snia to make Lanital groundnut (peanut) protein was used by... 

These materials are from renewable sources and are often made from plant materials that can be grown year after year and should come from agricultural nonfood crops. Biodegradable polymers are broken down into CO 2 and water by microorganisms. Although biopolymers may be able to help solve the disposal problems of current plastic packaging, it is not clear if they can really deliver on this promise and whether there is possible competition with the food chain. Cellulose is the most common biopolymer and organic compound on Earth. Other examples are starch, PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate), natural fibers, silk, and wood plastic composites (WPC). 

The term bioplastics covers two different concepts that we tend to confuse. The first categorizes the so-called bio-sourced plastics from agricultural resoinces, a priori renewable, they are not necessarily degradable. The second includes biodegradable plastics they are not necessarily bio-soinced they are also polymers derived from fossil resources and chemistry. 

A search for biodegradable compounds which protect crops is of high priority to the world wide agricultural community. Naturally occurring substances are known to be biode-gradable. Therefore there is a renewed emphasis upon obtainment of biologically active substances from natural sources such as plants. 

These environmentally-friendly products include biodegradable and biobased materials based on annually renewable agricultural and biomass feedstock [2], which in turn would not contribute to the shortage of petroleum sources [3]. Biocomposites, which... 

Natural biodegradable polymers are produced in nature, thus are always renewable. Some synthetic biodegradable polymers are also renewable when produced from renewable feedstocks one example is polylactic acid (PLA), derived from agricultural sources. Modified natural biodegradable polymers can be totally or partially renewable, depending on the modifying agent used. 

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