Abstract
Low density polyethylene (LDPE) samples were exposed to UV irradiation for 27 days. Thereafter they were added to an abiotic and a biotic environment. By increasing the amount of polyethylene added to a soil system it was possible to compare how different amounts of irradiated PE affect the degradation rate and the evolution of CO 2. The degradation rate seéms to be independent of the amount of PE added to the soil system but dependent on the biotic activity. The amount of CO 2 evolved follows close to a linear relationship. The addition of a surfactant to a nutrient solution containing PE results in an increased degradation rate. In contrast to the behaviour of similar samples without surfactant, this sample sinks to the bottom of the flask instead of floating on the surface of the solution.
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