Study and application of biopolymers in the field of agricultural and environmental engineering: review

Abstract

At present, a reduction in the production of materials that affect the environment is necessary. An example is conventional plastics that, when used and discarded incorrectly, harm ecosystems, a situation that focuses scientific research on the study of biopolymers as a sustainable alternative, that is, because they are compounds extracted from nature with properties biodegradable, antimicrobial activity and low toxicity, among others; which makes them suitable for different applications. Natural polymers have been used for several years in fields of medical and pharmaceutical science, due to the versatility of their mechanical, biodegradable and biocompatible qualities for the agro-industrial and agricultural fields. These biomaterials have been adapted to partially or gradually replace petroleum-based polymers in applications or uses such as food packaging, additives, water treatment, fertilizers, industrial plastics, absorbent materials, and biosensors. In this review, a detailed bibliographic analysis of the characteristics and applications of biopolymers in the field of agricultural and industrial engineering was carried out.