Conalep students put Mexico’s name very high when they won Gold Medal in Science CompetitionAfrica Science Buskers Festival 2021 “where they presented a project under the name”MuciPlast“ In the innovation and research category.

The project of these young Mexican women was based on making biodegradable plastic, which is why they used gum to form viscous solutions that can be used as natural films and glue with minimal harmful effects on the environment.

Jimena flowers and Melissa Garcia, both students of the College of Technical Vocational Education, have successfully conquered the projects of more than 200 participants from all over the world, competing with ideas from young finalists from countries such as Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil, the United States, Nigeria and Spain.

What are biodegradable plastics?

Thus, it is known that some types of plastics, under certain conditions of temperature and humidity, are consumed by microorganisms and go through an oxidation process that favors their conversion to water, carbon dioxide and biomass. In this way, it is incorporated into the carbon cycle without leaving a residue.

Unlike plastic BiogradapTheConventional plastic degrades only by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Over time, it breaks down into small particles, microplastic particles, which do not undergo changes in their composition, and therefore cannot be digested by living organisms.