METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSMENT OF PLASTICS DEGRADABILITY BY COMPOSTING
The changes in the regulations regarding solid waste management in Mexico City during 2009 and 2010 promoted the use of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags. These kind of materials can be biodegraded after oxidation by temperature, UV radiation, friction or a combination of them. The standard ASTM method...
| Autores: | , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2013 |
| País: | México |
| Institución: | UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTÓNOMA DE MÉXICO |
| Repositorio: | Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental |
| Idioma: | español |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/43518 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://www.revistascca.unam.mx/rica/index.php/rica/article/view/43518 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | polyethylene oxo-biodegradable organic solid waste polietileno residuos sólidos orgánicos |
| Sumario: | The changes in the regulations regarding solid waste management in Mexico City during 2009 and 2010 promoted the use of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags. These kind of materials can be biodegraded after oxidation by temperature, UV radiation, friction or a combination of them. The standard ASTM method (5338) to asses biodegradability of plastics requires the use of mature compost, in closed reactors with a constant flow of air and a temperature of 58 ºC. This work assessed the feasibility of testing degradability of oxo-biodegradable plastic films in a controlled composted process, which uses organic waste and local environmental conditions. The system, built in 200 L reactors, showed the feasibility to compost oxo-biodegradable plastics. After 45 days the films showed degradation, assessed by fragmentation, a decrease in elongation at breaking and and increase in the carbonyl index. This method is an alternative to evaluate degradability of these kind of materials, which can help to accomplish the requirements of the regulations developed in Mexico City. |
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