Abstract
Six types of plastics and plastic blends, the latter composed at least partially of biodegradable material, were exposed to aerobically treated wastewater (activated sludge) to ascertain their biodegradability. In one study, duplicate samples of 6% starch in polypropylene, 12% starch in linear low-density polyethylene, 30% polycaprolactone in linear low-density polyethylene, and poly(β-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHB/V), a microbially produced polyester, were exposed to activated sludge for 5 months, and changes in mass, molecular weight average, and tensile properties were measured. None of the blended material showed any sign of degradation. PHB/V, however, showed a considerable loss of mass and a significant loss of tensile strength. In a second study, PHB/V degraded rapidly, but another type of microbial polymer which forms a thermoplastic elastomer, poly(β-hydroxyoctanoate), did not degrade. These results illustrate the potential for disposal and degradation of PHB/V in municipal wastewater.
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