Biodegradation Studies of Biobased Mulch Films Reinforced with Cellulose from Waste Mango

Excessive use of plastic mulches has triggered a series of environmental problems, primarily due to the large volumes generated and their low or non-existent degradability. For this reason, materials with similar characteristics to synthetic mulches but with a biodegradable character were sought. In this work, mulch films were produced from gelatin/glycerol/cellulose (GelC) and chitosan/glycerol/cellulose (ChiC). Their biodegradation time in soil and photographic analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were determined. The GelC sample presented a weight loss of 80% at 25 days, compared to 58% for the ChiC sample in the same exposure time. However, the latter was the only sample that could be evaluated up to 70 days, during which it presented its greatest weight loss (97%). The SEM results for both mulch films showed some color changes after 30 days; complete fracturing, growth of mycelium on the surface, and the presence of pores were observed. FTIR spectra revealed a decrease in hydroxyl groups, amides, and carbonyl bands as the number of degradation days increased. Obtaining polymers from waste materials, such as mango, represents an important task to obtain cellulose that can both reinforce and provide biodegradable properties to biobased materials, which can be degraded by microorganisms present in the soil.