VALORIZATION OF ALGERIAN MARINE DICTYOPTERIS POLYPODIOIDES BIOMASS IN THE DESIGN OF BIOMATERIALS FOR FOOD PACKAGING

Efficacious waste utilization is vital in the context of sustainability. The main objective of this work is to valorize marine biomass by extracting sodium alginate from the brown algae of Dictyopteris polypodioides species and to develop a new material based on a biodegradable polymer, i.e. polylactic acid (PLA). Films were prepared based on PLA and sodium alginate powder (10, 20 and 30% by weight) and glycerol was incorporated as a plasticizer. The yield of sodium alginate was estimated at 30%. FTIR spectra of Dictyopteris polypodioides confirmed the high uronic acid content and XRD analyses analyses proved the amorphous nature of the alginate. Adding alginate to the PLA matrix produced an increase in water vapor permeability values and led to interactions between PLA and alginate. No antibacterial activity was detected in our products against the two bacterial strains tested (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas), nor against the Botrytis fungus. The films with 10 and 20% sodium alginate exhibited an inhibitory effect on the Penicillium fungus.