BBAU Scientist Patents Bioplastic from Cow Dung
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Headline | BBAU Scientist Granted Patent for Bioplastic Technology |
| Location | Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow, India |
| Patent Issuer | Government of India |
| Key Innovation | Bio-plastic production using cow dung and a special type of bacteria |
| Main Material | Polyhydroxy butyrate (PHB), a naturally degradable bio-plastic |
| Previous PHB Sources | Sugarcane, maize, wheat, rice, banana peels |
| Cost Reduction | Modified cow-dung-based medium reduces PHB production cost by 200 times |
| Applications | Bottles, polybags, and other useful items |
| Decomposition Time | 40-50 years (compared to thousands of years for traditional plastic) |
| Environmental Impact | No harm to the environment; addresses global warming and plastic pollution |
| Bio-Plastic Definition | Derived from renewable organic sources like sugarcane, corn; not always biodegradable |
| Production Process | Extracting sugar from plants to create polylactic acid (PLA) or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from microorganisms |
| Environmental Benefit | Absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2); reduces carbon footprint compared to fossil-based plastics |
| Health Advantage | No harmful chemicals like phthalates |
| Durability | As strong and durable as traditional plastics |
| Use Cases | Food packaging, agriculture, medical supplies |