The coincidence leads a Palestinian to discover "edible"

Haneen Yassin - Gaza

Palestinian chemist Ibrahim Saad did not expect to be led by a simple error in a chemical experiment to invent a new substance that might provide a partial solution to a complex environmental problem the world has been suffering for years and its severity is increasing rapidly.

While Saad, a 23-year-old specialist in applied chemistry working in his laboratory in his home in Gaza, was experimenting with a new experiment between two substances of a different substance than what he was seeking to discover later that he was a "vital plastic" natural and healthy alternative to " .

"I was experimenting with the TLC, which is used to separate a mixture of chemicals into their constituents, and each time I changed the chemical medium with the fixation of the basic substance, the natural cellulose, and recorded my observations. One of these experiments resulted in a white substance New".

"After examining the new material, I discovered that it is a vital plastic, an alternative to the plastic material made of petroleum, but it is biodegradable and even if eaten by human it does not cause any health damage.

He refuses to talk about all the components of this article, which he says he invented the first in Palestine, so as not to lose the patent right.

But, according to Saad, the main component of "bioplastic" is the natural cellulose found in all plant tissues.

"Bio-plastic" is biodegradable and therefore does not pose any risk to the environment. When burned, carbon dioxide is produced, unlike the petroleum plastic produced by the combustion of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.

According to the chemist, his new material can be recycled hundreds of times without losing its chemical properties, and it sterilizes itself through the release of acetic acid at a very weak concentration can not be seen by the naked eye, to work to eliminate any microbes and bacteria on the surface.

Bio-plastic does not need to be heated to form because it is in its liquid state after it is manufactured. It only needs molds to be placed in it until it takes shape when it dries.

"This new material does not pose any risk to the environment or health and can be used in the manufacture of household appliances, food packaging and toy industry, thus eliminating the problems of plastic," Saad said.

If the development of the project and the use of "bio-plastic" on a large scale, it will reduce solid waste by a large proportion, because of the large dependence of Palestinians and globally on "petroleum plastic" in the practices of daily life, he said.

But there are great difficulties facing such a project. The most prominent of these projects, according to the Palestinian chemist, are the absence of laboratories with global specifications for the development of the material, in addition to the lack of material support for the development of the project, which will require large sums of money to improve the quality of the product.

Al Ghazi hopes that he will receive financial support so that he can develop his project and produce "bio-plastics" extensively.

World production of plastics is estimated at about 280 tons per year, only 10% of which is recycled, while huge amounts of garbage from this production end up in the seas and oceans, causing an estimated $ 13 billion damage every year, according to the latest UN estimates.

"Bioplastic" is not Saad's first innovation. Over the past years he has been able to manufacture a generator for ozone gas, a device that transmits electricity without wires, another transforms air into water, and a third produces plasma. In addition, To run the engines.