Abstract
The use of biodegradable polymers is spreading in agriculture to replace those materials derived from petroleum, thus reducing the environmental concerns. However, to issue a significant assessment, biodegradation rate must be measured in case-specific standardized conditions. In accordance with ISO 14855-1, we designed and used an experimental apparatus to evaluate the biodegradation rate of three biopolymers based on renewable resources, two poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) composites, and a compatibilized polylactic acid and polybutyrate (PLA/PBAT) blend. Biodegradation tests were carried out under composting condition using mature olive-mill waste (OMW) compost as inoculum. Carbon dioxide emissions were automatically recorded by infrared gas detectors and also trapped in saturated Ba(OH)2 solution and evaluated via a standard titration method to check the results. Some of the samples reached more than 80% biodegradation in less than 20 days. Both the experimental apparatus and the OMW compost showed to be suitable for the cases studied.
Highlights
In the last years, the worldwide production of plastic waste has increased enormously [1]
In accordance with ISO 14855-1, we designed and used an experimental apparatus to evaluate the biodegradation rate of three biopolymers based on renewable resources, two poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) composites, and a compatibilized polylactic acid and polybutyrate (PLA/PBAT) blend
After 10 days, the inoculum showed a cumulated emission of 9.4 ± 0.1 gCO2 vessel−1, which corresponds to 86.3 ± 1.3 mgCO2 per gram of volatile solids—a value falling in the range prescribed by ISO 14855-1:2012 and considered optimal for successfully conducting biodegradation tests under composting conditions [17]
Summary
The worldwide production of plastic waste has increased enormously [1]. The global competition to produce biodegradable materials is attracting the attention of a variety of scientific branches and commercial sectors (food, packaging, and agroindustries), and it has become even more crucial to identify the true biodegradability of new goods put on the market— some of which are merely self-proclaimed “biodegradable.” Biodegradation results from the action of naturally occurring heterotrophic microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. These use biodegradable compounds as food, converting them into metabolic by-products that have chemical structures remarkably different than the original materials [5]
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