Commercial glitter is a known contributor to microplastic waste with not many biodegrable options available. One viable option for the synthesis of biodegrable glitters is using corn starch. This work investigates the synthesis of biodegradable glitter using corn starch, glycerol, citric acid, and beet root extract. Corn starch was chosen as an ideal candidate because it is an abundant and known polymer that has already been used to create biodegradable films for food storage. In this project the compositions of the films were changed to attain a brittle and more glitter like form. The film was colored using beet root extract, known to be safe and edible. Synthesis of this glitter by this process is simple requiring only heating and subsequent air-drying of the resulting films. The glitter was evaluated for shimmer, consistency, thickness, water resistance, tensile strength, and decomposition rate. The glitter synthesized by this method will be compared to the traditional glitter.

Biodegradable glitter synthesized using a corn starch polymer and other natural materials

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