<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><article><front><Journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type='publisher'>CWE/1765/2026</journal-id><journal-title >Current World Environment</journal-title><issn pub-type='PPub'>0973-4929</issn><issn pub-type='ePub'>2320-8031</issn><publisher><publisher-name>4</publisher-name></publisher></Journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type='other'>CWE--98-00</article-id><title-group><article-title>&lt;p&gt;Valorization of Potato Peel Waste into Starch-Based Bioplastic Films using Glycerol and Sorbitol Plasticizers&lt;/p&gt;</article-title></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname></surname><given-names></given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname></surname><given-names></given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref></contrib></contrib-group><aff id='aff001'><sup>1</sup><instname>Madurai Kamaraj University</instname>,<deptname>Department of Biochemistry</deptname>, <instaddress>V.V.Vanniaperumal College for Women</instaddress>, <instcity>Madurai</instcity>, <instcountry>India</instcountry>.</aff><pub-date pub-type='ppub'><publicationDate></publicationDate></pub-date><doi>10.12944/CWE.20.3.30</doi><volume>Volume 20</volume><issue>Volume 20</issue><page>1343-1359</page><abstract><title>Abstract</title><p>The valorization of potato peel waste into biodegradable materials offers a sustainable approach to reducing plastic pollution. Starch extracted by wet sedimentation yielded 17.10% with high purity (ash 0.47%, moisture 14.00%, amylose 21.20%, amylopectin 78.80%). Bioplastic films prepared using glycerol, sorbitol, and a glycerol–sorbitol blend were evaluated for physical, mechanical, optical, structural, and biodegradation characteristics. Glycerol-plasticized films showed the greatest flexibility, highest swelling (47.0 ± 3.0%) and water absorption (48.6 ± 3.40%), and the fastest biodegradation, reaching 95.62 ± 9.78% weight loss after 20 days. Sorbitol films exhibited the highest tensile strength (38.11 ± 1.52 N/cm2) and lowest water absorption (28.8 ± 1.15%), while blend films demonstrated intermediate mechanical performance and slower degradation (64.16 ± 5.41%). FTIR confirmed preservation of the starch backbone with plasticizer-dependent hydrogen bonding, and XRD indicated a semi-crystalline structure (crystallinity index 91.6%) in glycerol films. Application trials showed strong adhesion of glycerol films as leak-proof paper cup coatings and successful moulding into 3D shapes. Overall, glycerol-plasticized potato peel starch films emerged as the most promising formulation due to their flexibility, rapid biodegradability, and practical applicability for sustainable packaging.</p></abstract><kwd-group><title>Keywords</title><kwd>Bioplastic</kwd><kwd> FTIR</kwd><kwd> Glycerol</kwd><kwd> Plasticizer</kwd><kwd> Potato peel starch</kwd><kwd> Sorbitol</kwd><kwd> Waste valorization</kwd><kwd> XRD</kwd></kwd-group><counts><ref-count count='' /><page-count count='' /></counts></article-meta></front></article>