Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2018, 66(2), 349-356 | DOI: 10.11118/actaun201866020349

SEM Analysis and Degradation Behavior of Conventional and Bio-Based Plastics During Composting

Dana Adamcová1, Maja Radziemska2, Jan Zloch1, Helena Dvořáčková3, Jakub Elbl3, Jindřich Kynický3, Martin Brtnický3, Magdalena Daria Vaverková1
1 Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
2 Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Improvement, Nowoursynowska 159, Warsaw, Poland
3 Department of Geology and Pedology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

Recently, various materials have begun to be marketed that claim to be biodegradable or compostable. Terms such as "degradable", "oxo-biodegradable", "biological", "compostable" and "green" are often used to describe and promote different plastics. Commercial bioplastics and a petrochemical plastic (claim to be degradable) were used for this study. The research was carried out in real conditions in the Central Composting Plant in Brno, Czech Republic. SEM analysis of the samples was done in order to analyze microstructure and morphology of specimens, validating dispersion results. It can be concluded that samples certified as compostable have degrade in real composting conditions. Samples (4-7) showed significant erosion on surface when subjected to the SEM analysis. Samples labeled (by their producers) as 100 % degradable (Samples 1-3) did not show any visual signs of degradation.

Keywords: bioplastics, biodegradation, real composting environment, SEM analysis
Grants and funding:

The research was financially supported by the IGA FA MENDELU No. TP 5/2017.

Published: May 2, 2018  Show citation

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Adamcová, D., Radziemska, M., Zloch, J., Dvořáčková, H., Elbl, J., Kynický, J., Brtnický, M., & Vaverková, M.D. (2018). SEM Analysis and Degradation Behavior of Conventional and Bio-Based Plastics During Composting. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 66(2), 349-356. doi: 10.11118/actaun201866020349
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