ABSTRACT: Paper to Plastics (P2P) is an interdisciplinary program that combines chemistry and biology in a research setting. The goal of this project is 2-fold: to engage students in scientific research and to educate them about sustainability and biodegradable materials. The scientific aim of the project is to recycle unwanted office paper to the useful biodegradable polymer poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Through this program students learn firsthand how chemistry and biology interact to form useful materials from waste. Students combine biological techniques, such as enzymatic digestion and fermentation, with chemical techniquea, as diverse laboratory techniques, of waste paper into PLA. Through this students ultimately become familiar with summer program, while learning how their scientific interests can be used to address important social problems.
KEYWORDS High School/Introductory Chemistry, Biochemistry, organie Chomutry, Polymer Chemistry, Chemistry, Interdisciplinary Multidisciplinary, Hands-On Learning Manipulatives Bioorganis Chemistry, Catalysis Green Polymerization