Abstract
To investigate the degradation behavior of biodegradable polymers in nature, soil burial tests were carried out at 18 locations in Japan and one locations in the U.S. Water immersion tests were carried out at 3 locations in Japan. Bacteria cellulose(BC), copolymers of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxy-valerate (PHB/HV), poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly (v- methyl-L-glutamate) (PMLG) were examined. The rate of degradation has been found to decrease in the order: BC>PCL ≓PHB/HV>PVA≓PMLG. Erosion of these polymers is a surface and not a bulk process in soil burial. Water immersion tests show a similar tendency. Polymers samples such as BC, PCL and PHB/HV degraded rapidly compared with soil burial tests. The rate of degradation of biodegradable plastics in field tests is consistent with that found in the test method based on OECD 301 C: Modified MITI TEST(1) using activated sludge by measuring oxygen consumed in a darkened, enclosed respirometer under aerobic conditions. Therefore, the test method based on Modified MITI TEST (1) could be applied as an excellent and reasonable test method for assessing biodegradability of plastics, in which results can be readily obtained over a relatively short period of time.
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