Biodegradable carboxymethyl cellulose based material for sustainable packaging application

The main goal of the present work was to develop a value-added biodegradable material for sustainable packaging using agriculture waste-derived carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to reduce cost relative to commercial CMC. CMC was extracted from sugarcane bagasse and blended with gelatin and agar, with varied glycerol concentrations [sample A: 2.5%, sample B: 1.5%, sample C: 2.0%]. The film from sample C (gelatin+CMC+agar with 2.0% glycerol) exhibited superior properties over samples A and B. Physicochemical properties were characterized by FTIR, DSC, and TGA. Swelling, solvent solubility, oil and water permeability, and mechanical strength indicated suitability for packaging. Soil-burial biodegradability demonstrated rapid environmental compatibility. The approach converts organic waste to a value-added product; alternatively, commercial CMC can be used to save recovery time.