EFFECT OF CHITIN SOURCE AND CONTENT ON PROPERTIES OF CHITIN NANOWHISKERS FILLED POLYLACTIC ACID COMPOSITES

This study investigates the use of chitin nanowhiskers (CHW) from different chitin sources to develop CHW reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) nanocomposite. Chitin sources used in this study were commercial chitin (CC), fermented chitin (FC) and treated fermented chitin (TFC) whereby FC and TFC were obtained from fermentation of prawn waste. The chitin was then undergoes acid hydrolysis to produce commercial chitin nanowhiskers (CCHW), fermented chitin nanowhiskers (FCHW) and treated fermented chitin nanowhiskers (TFCHW). PLA was chosen due to several advantages such as biodegradability, good mechanical strength and in line with global pressure to improve environmental pollution aspects. Tensile strength for PLA/FCHW, PLA/TFCHW and PLA/CCHW increased with increasing filler content until it reached optimum value at 1 phr, 2 phr and 3 phr, respectively. Young’s modulus for the nanocomposites increased with increasing filler content but elongation at break decreased significantly with increasing filler content for all types of nanocomposites. TGA results indicated that PLA/CHW nanocomposites displayed better thermal stability as compared to pure PLA. The biodegradability and water absorption of nanocomposites increased with increasing filler content.The overall results confirm that PLA nanocomposites from FC are not inferior than PLA nanocomposites from CC and therefore has similar potential to be used in packaging applications. ABSTRAK: Kajian ini menyelidik penggunaan nanowisker kitin (CHW) dari sumber kitin yang berbeza untuk membangunkan komposit poli(asid laktik) (PLA) bertetulang CHW. Sumber-sumber kitin yang digunakan dalam kajian ini terdiri daripada kitin komersial (CC), kitin ditapai (FC) dan kitin ditapai yang dirawat (TFC) di mana FC dan TFC diperoleh daripada penapaian sisa udang. Kitin kemudiannya menjalani proses hidrolisis asid untuk menghasilkan nanowisker kitin komersial (CCHW), nanowisker kitin ditapai (FCHW) dan nanowisker kitin ditapai yang dirawat (TFCHW). PLA dipilih kerana kelebihannya misalnya kebolehan pereputan-bio, kekuatan mekanikal yang baik dan sesuai dengan tekanan global untuk memperbaiki aspek pencemaran alam sekitar. Kekuatanreganganuntuk PLA/FCHW, PLA/TFCHW dan PLA/CCHW meningkat dengan peningkatan kandungan pengisi sehingga mencapai nilai optimum masing-masing pada 1 phr, 2 phr dan 3 phr. Modulus Young bagi komposit nano meningkat dengan peningkatan kandungan pengisi tetapi ciri pemanjangan takat putus menurun dengan ketara dengan peningkatan kandungan pengisi bagi semua jenis komposit nano. Keputusan TGA menunjukkan bahawa komposit nano PLA/CHW memaparkan kestabilan terma yang lebih baik berbanding dengan PLA tulen. Kadar pereputan-bio dan penyerapan air komposit nano meningkat dengan peningkatan kandungan pengisi. Hasil keseluruhan mengesahkan bahawa komposit nano PLA daripada FC tidak lebih rendah daripada komposit nano PLA dari CC dan berpotensi serupa untuk digunakan dalam aplikasi pembungkusan.

Pemberian Probiotik Pada Pengolahan Limbah Udang Yang Dimasak Dengan Tekanan Tinggi Terhadap Kandungan Protein Kasar Dan serat Kasar

Feed is one of the factors determines the success of a fish farm. Feed-quality feed stuffs that require high quality also, which still rely on imports, especially fish meal and soybean oilcake. Effort to reduce dependence on import of feed stuff is searching for alternative feed stuffs that the quality is quite good, cheap, easily obtained and can reduce cost of production. One of the feed stuff as an alternative source of animal protein feed that need to be examined is the prawn waste. Prawn waste meal enough potential to be used as fish feed with a crude protein content 45.29% and 17.59% crude fiber was alternative feed stuff for fish meal. The usage of prawn waste as a feed stuff should be through the handling and processing to further improve the nutrient value of waste. Prawn waste processing in this research consists of two ways, that is waste cooking prawn on the high pressure (100 kpa), and conducted fermentation by using probiotic. The existence of microorganisms activity during the fermentation process will cause changes of feed stuffs either through physically and chemicals. Probiotic is a microbe colony that is rich in celulolytic, lignolytic and proteolytic bacteria. The aim of this research is to know the influence probiotic on the prawn waste cooked with high pressure to increase the protein content and to decrease the crude fiber content. Method as used in the research is experimental method. Experiment design that used at research is Completely Randomized Design with 4 treatments and replicates 5 times. To get the data is conducted procsimat analysis on the crude protein content and crude fibers from each experimental unit. That result data analyzed with the Analysis of Varian continued with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The results of research is known that dosaged probiotic at process of prawn waste cooked fermentation not different to crude protein contents of the waste cook fermented prawn. Crude fiber content of the waste cook fermented prawn using probiotik (P1, P2, P3) has decreased if compared with waste cooking fermented prawn without using probiotic (P0)

Pemberian Tepung Limbah Udang Yang Difermentasi Dalam Ransum Pakan Buatan Terhadap Laju Pertumbuhan, Rasio Konversi Pakan Dan Kelangsungan Hidup Benih Ikan Nila (Oreochromis niloticus) [The Given Fermentation The Prawn Waste Flour In Artificial Feed On Growth, Feed Convertion Ratio And Survival Rate Of Black Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) ]

The aim of this research was to find out optimum percentage of given fermentation the prawn waste flour in artificial feed on growth of black nile tilapia. The treatment of this research was giving fermentation the prawn waste flour in artificial feed i.e. 0%, 2,5%, 5%, 7,5%, 10%. Each treatment was repeated 4 times. Feed compositon was made of isoprotein. Fishes weight were about 6.1 – 6.8 g. Fishes were cultured with stocking rate 3 fish per 20 liter water and the fishes were reared for 40 days. Feed amount that consumed by fishes was measured every day to calculate feed conversion ratio. The calculation of fishes amount was done in beginning and end of research to count survival rate of fishes. Water quality was measured on beginning, middle and end of research. The design of this research was Completely Randomized Design. Data analysis used Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to know the effect of the treatment and that difference among the treatment used Duncan's Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The result of the research showed that the highest growrth rate were attained on feed containing 10% of fermented prawn waste flour. The best feed convertion ratio were attained on feed containing 10% of fermented prawn waste flour.

Mechanical Properties of Polylactic Acid/Treated Fermented Chitin Nanowhiskers Biocomposites

The market share of biodegradable polymers from renewable sources has grown rapidly in the plastic industry. Properties of the polymers from renewable resources can be enhanced through blending and composite formation. Fermented chitin is a by-product in a bacterial prawn waste fermentation for protein recovery which has undergone mild chemical treatment producing treated fermented chitin (TFC). TFC was further acid hydrolysed to produce chitin nanowhiskers (TFCNW). The chitin nanowhiskers was used as filler in polylactic acid (PLA) through solution casting method. Atomic Force Microscopy showed TFCNW particles are uniformly dispersed in PLA matrix but tends to agglomerate as TFCNW loading increased. Tensile strength of the biocomposite film increased up to 12.4 MPa at 2 phr TFCNW which it decreased with further addition of TFCNW. The Young’s modulus increased with increasing of TFCNW content up to 3.69 GPa. However, elongation at break of the biocomposite film decreased by 66 % upon addition of TFCNW when compared to pure PLA.

Fermentation of Prawn Waste by using Effective Microorganism (EM) for Protein Production

Effective microorganisms or EM has been actively used for various reasons but mainly in the waste water treatment, as plant growth initiators and fertilizers. In this study, fermentations of local tiger prawn waste (Panaeus monodon) by EM were conducted at laboratory scale at different fermentation conditions for protein recovery. Fermentations were conducted at various temperature conditions (250C, 370C and 600C) and various level of inoculum and carbohydrate source (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) and their pH values compared over 72 hours. Results showed that the pH rapidly decreased to pH 5.0 and the fermentation profiles were similar when different types of carbohydrates were used during fermentation. However, temperatures affect fermentations considerably where the pH did not rapidly decrease at 600C. The fermentation products or silage formed is also stable over a period of 60 days. In addition, acid production was dependent on glucose concentration but not on the inoculum level. For protein production, approximately 86% of protein can be recovered after fermentation process. Therefore, it can be suggested that fermentations were successful using EM on palm brown sugar and fermentation done at either 250C or 370C due to its better acid production.