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Article

Biodegradable and Compostable Shopping Bags under Investigation by FTIR Spectroscopy

by
Silvana Alfei
1,*,
Anna Maria Schito
2 and
Guendalina Zuccari
1
1
Department of Pharmacy (DiFAR), University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, I-16148 Genova, Italy
2
Department of Surgical Sciences and Integrated Diagnostics (DISC), University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, I-16132 Genova, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 621; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020621
Submission received: 16 December 2020 / Revised: 30 December 2020 / Accepted: 7 January 2021 / Published: 10 January 2021
(This article belongs to the Section Chemical and Molecular Sciences)

Abstract

In the recent years, plastic-based shopping bags have become irregular and progressively replaced by compostable ones. To be marketed, these “new plastics” must possess suitable requirements verified by specific bodies, which grant the conformity mark, and the approved physicochemical properties are periodically verified. The fast, inexpensive, non-destructive, easy to use, and reproducible Fourier-Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a technique routinely applied to perform analysis in various industrial sectors. To get reliable information from spectral data, chemometric methods, such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), are commonly suggested. In this context, PCA was herein performed on 4, 5, and 21 × 3251 matrices, collecting the FTIR data from regular and irregular shopping bags, including three freshly extruded films from the Italian industry MecPlast, to predict their compliance with legislation. The results allowed us to unequivocally achieve such information and to classify the bags as suitable for containing fresh food in bulk or only for transport. A self-validated linear model was developed capable to estimate, by acquiring a single FTIR spectrum if, after the productive process, the content of renewable poly-lactic-acid (PLA) in a new produced film respect the expectations. Surprisingly, our findings established that among the grocery bags available on the market, irregular plastic-based shopping bags continue to survive.
Keywords: plastic-based shoppers; compostable shoppers; conformity requirements; efficient prediction; Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; Principal Component Analysis (PCA); predictive linear model plastic-based shoppers; compostable shoppers; conformity requirements; efficient prediction; Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; Principal Component Analysis (PCA); predictive linear model
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MDPI and ACS Style

Alfei, S.; Schito, A.M.; Zuccari, G. Biodegradable and Compostable Shopping Bags under Investigation by FTIR Spectroscopy. Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 621. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020621

AMA Style

Alfei S, Schito AM, Zuccari G. Biodegradable and Compostable Shopping Bags under Investigation by FTIR Spectroscopy. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11(2):621. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020621

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alfei, Silvana, Anna Maria Schito, and Guendalina Zuccari. 2021. "Biodegradable and Compostable Shopping Bags under Investigation by FTIR Spectroscopy" Applied Sciences 11, no. 2: 621. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020621

APA Style

Alfei, S., Schito, A. M., & Zuccari, G. (2021). Biodegradable and Compostable Shopping Bags under Investigation by FTIR Spectroscopy. Applied Sciences, 11(2), 621. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020621

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