Women, science, and Argentine pride: Female scientists from UBA develop a revolutionary bioplastic

A team of female scientists from UBA (University of Buenos Aires) achieved a fundamental breakthrough for sustainable packaging: a biodegradable film created with national resources that disappears in just five weeks. A concrete response to plastic pollution that boosts the development of regional economies.

Conventional plastic, derived from fossil fuels, confronts us with one of the greatest environmental challenges of our era. Its durability, which was once its greatest commercial advantage, is today its main threat. However, Argentine science is paving a new path towards a circular economy. Women scientists from the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) have developed a plastic substitute made from cassava starch and yerba mate. This new material, designed specifically for food packaging, represents a real and sustainable alternative to traditional polymers that take centuries to degrade.

The weight of the problem: microplastics and low recycling rates The need to transition towards eco-friendly materials is urgent. Julieta Pajoni, a doctoral fellow in Physical Sciences and a member of the project, clearly measures the scope of the problem: "400 million tons of plastic are produced annually, and only 10% is recycled. The rest takes decades to degrade or never does." During their extremely slow natural decomposition process—which can take between 100 and 500 years—conventional plastics fragment into microplastics. These particles invade rivers, oceans, and soils, infiltrating the food chain and posing direct risks to both marine life and human health.

Triple Impact Innovation: from the earth to the laboratory The bioplastic developed at UBA not only offers an ecological solution, but it also triggers a triple-impact mechanism by adding value to native raw materials. Natalia Hermoso, a thesis student in Physical Sciences, explains that the project's purpose is to "replace part of the plastic and thus be able to use cassava starch and yerba mate to add value to national products." What is the creation process like? The polymers and composite materials laboratory team transforms these natural resources through a precise technical procedure: Formulation: The cassava starch is mixed with natural plasticizers to give it flexibility. Extrusion: The mixture is processed in an extruder machine to obtain thermoplastic strands. Thermoforming: Finally, as detailed by doctoral fellow Leiza Fernández, the material is taken to a hydraulic press where it acquires its final film format.

Five weeks versus five centuries The most astonishing contrast of this development lies in its life cycle. While traditional petroleum-derived packaging will remain in the environment for generations, the cassava and yerba mate film takes approximately five weeks to degrade in the soil. Being composed of 100% natural sources, soil microorganisms can process it and reincorporate it into the biological cycle without leaving persistent or toxic residues. In addition to avoiding the emission of pollutants during its production, this innovation highlights a key social and productive impact. As Pajoni emphasizes, the mass production of this bioplastic would represent "a great economic opportunity for cassava producers in the country." Once again, the synergy between scientific research and natural resources demonstrates that the future of mass consumption can—and must—be regenerative.