The increasing environmental concerns regarding plastic waste, especially in agriculture, have driven the search for sustainable alternatives. Agricultural plastics, such as mulching films and greenhouse covers, are heavily reliant on petrochemical-derived materials, which persist in the environment and contribute to long-term pollution. This study explores the use of biodegradable biocomposites made from steam explosion-treated chicken feathers and various polymer matrices to address these issues. Chicken feathers, a waste by-product of the poultry industry, present an excellent biodegradability as a result of the steam explosion treatment and contain nitrogen, potentially enhancing soil fertility. The biocomposites were characterized by thermal stability, mechanical properties, and biodegradability, and ecotoxicity assessments were carried out studying the incorporation of feathers into the soil. Results showed that the incorporation of treated chicken feathers increased the water absorption capacity of the composites, promoting faster disintegration and biodegradation. In particular, biocomposites made with polyhydroxyalkanoates and Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) exhibited a significant increase in degradation rates, from 3-10% in the first month for pure matrices to 40-50% when reinforced with treated feathers. Meanwhile, those made from polylactic acid showed slower degradation. Furthermore, the addition of feathers positively influenced crop growth at low concentrations, acting as a slow-release fertilizer. However, high concentrations of feathers negatively affect plant growth due to excess nitrogen. These findings highlight the potential of poultry feathers as a valuable, sustainable filler for agricultural bioplastics, contributing to waste valorization and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Keratin waste has become an increasingly serious environmental and health hazard. Keratin waste is mainly composed of keratin protein, which is one of the most difficult polymers to break down in nature and is resistant to many physical, chemical, and biological agents. With physical and chemical methods being environment damaging and costly, microbial degradation of keratin using keratinase enzyme is of great significance as it is both environment friendly and costeffective. The aim of this study was to extract and purify keratinase from bacterial species isolated from the soil. Among the organisms, an isolate of Bacillus velezensis, coded as MAMA could break down chicken feathers within 72 hours (h). The isolated strain produced significant levels of keratinase in mineral salt medium by supplying chicken feathers as the sole source of nitrogen and carbon. Feather deterioration was observed with the naked eye, and enzyme activity was evaluated using a spectrophotometric assay. Sodium dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and zymography results revealed that the keratinase protein produced by Bacillus velezensis had a molecular weight between 40 and 55 kilodalton (kDa).

In this paper glass/chicken feathers reinforced epoxy composite and glass/chicken feathers reinforced polyester composite was prepared in the laboratory at different percentage of the glass and chicken feathers. Tensile properties, flexural properties, shore hardness and impact strength of the glass/chicken feathers reinforced epoxy composite and glass/chicken feathers reinforced polyester composite was studied experimentally and compared at different percentage of the glass and chicken feathers. The composite will be used in humid and corrosive environment; therefore, water absorption and acid corrosion test were performed. To understand the degradation behaviour of the composite, soil test was performed. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was carried out to find the fracture and interfacial characteristics of the composites after tensile test. This hybrid composite can be used in automobile, structural and defense sector. Glass/chicken feathers reinforced epoxy composite and glass/chicken feathers reinforced polyester composite plate was prepared in the laboratory at different percentage of the glass and chicken feathers. Tensile properties and shore hardness of each composite was studied experimentally and compared at different percentage of the glass and chicken feathers. image

The ever-increasing quantities of trash produced by the poultry and tannery industries, particularly chicken feathers, cow hairs, and waste leather fibers, pose serious challenges to maintaining a pristine natural environment. In this research, the polymer composites were produced by combining 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 15 % (by weight) recycled chicken feather fibers (CFF), cow hair fibers (CHF), and leather fibers (LF) with inorganic materials ZnO, Al2O3, CaCO3, and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) through a hand lay-up process. After cleaning, a portion of the fibers was subjected to a two-hour soak in 0.20 M KOH at 50 degrees C, followed by five hours of drying at 60 degrees C, and the remaining half was not attended. This study successfully reduced environmentally hazardous waste from the poultry and tannery industries. The biodegradation of composites was compared in weather, water, brine, soil and compost over a period of 90 days at 25 degrees C, suggesting that the composites have potential in a variety of settings. Degradation rates varied among the composites, and the leather fibre-UPR composites (LR + UPR + Al2O3) showed the fastest degradation rate under all media and were especially degraded highest percentages (17.8 %) when buried in compost. Degradation percentages in compost media for (CHF + UPR + Al2O3), (CFF + UPR + Al2O3) and (CHF + CFF + UPR + Al2O3)) composites are 16.3 %, 14.8 %, and 13.5, respectively. The helical structure of the composites disintegrated in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), losing its chain-linkage skeleton and peptide fiber bridges, and dissolving keratin and collagen into carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). The results of the water uptake and thickness swelling study for up to 15 days due to water absorption can have positive effects on the mechanical properties of the composite material and found 8.8 % water uptake and 15.8 % thickness swelling both for (LR + UPR + Al2O3) composite.

Keratin was synthesized by alkaline hydrolysis from chicken feathers and then continue by casting method for producing bioplastics with additional various amounts of chitosan as a filler, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and glycerol as a plasticizer. The main purpose is analysis the effect of chitosan on the structural properties using quantitative analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra, chemical bonding by Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectra, and mechanical properties by texture analyser to the keratin-based bioplastics. Biodegradation of bioplastics was analysed from the loss of weight by burying in the soil. It's found that, the additional of chitosan (0 %, 2 %, 5 %, and 8 %) increased the crystallinity of bioplastics by 11.83 %, 11.12 %, 18.99 %, and 17.03 %, respectively, but decreasing tensile strength and elasticity of bioplastics. Degradation of bioplastic keratin-based shows that the addition of chitosan can reduce the degradation time which is directly proportional to the loss of C -- O bonds. The highest degradation rate is 89.29 % in 49 days for keratin-based bioplastics with 8 % chitosan, indicated that high potential for future production.