Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment
Although the manufacturers labelled commercially available bio-based products as biodegradable, there are discrepancies concerning the time frame for their sustainable biodegradation and methane production. Starch-based, polylactic acid-based and oxo-degradable foils were anaerobically treated in th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4775 |
| _version_ | 1827685349616254976 |
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| author | Magdalena Zaborowska Katarzyna Bernat Bartosz Pszczółkowski Irena Wojnowska-Baryła Dorota Kulikowska |
| author_facet | Magdalena Zaborowska Katarzyna Bernat Bartosz Pszczółkowski Irena Wojnowska-Baryła Dorota Kulikowska |
| author_sort | Magdalena Zaborowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although the manufacturers labelled commercially available bio-based products as biodegradable, there are discrepancies concerning the time frame for their sustainable biodegradation and methane production. Starch-based, polylactic acid-based and oxo-degradable foils were anaerobically treated in thermophilic condition (55 °C, 100 days). The effect of alkaline pretreatment on foils degradation was also investigated. To examine changes in their mechanical and physical properties, static tensile tests and microscopic analyses, FTIR and surface roughness analyses were conducted. Despite the thermophilic condition, and the longer retention time compared to that needed for biowaste, a small amount of methane was produced with bio-based foils, even after pretreatment (ca. 30 vs. 50 L/kg VS) and foils only lost functional and mechanical properties. The pieces of bio-based materials had only disintegrated, which means that digestate may become contaminated with fragments of these materials. Thus, providing guidelines for bio-based foil treatment remains a challenge in waste management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:51:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46c2d8e97db9419085424d644073ef39 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:51:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-46c2d8e97db9419085424d644073ef392023-11-22T07:27:13ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-08-011416477510.3390/en14164775Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic TreatmentMagdalena Zaborowska0Katarzyna Bernat1Bartosz Pszczółkowski2Irena Wojnowska-Baryła3Dorota Kulikowska4Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Materials and Machines Technology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Oczapowskiego 11, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandAlthough the manufacturers labelled commercially available bio-based products as biodegradable, there are discrepancies concerning the time frame for their sustainable biodegradation and methane production. Starch-based, polylactic acid-based and oxo-degradable foils were anaerobically treated in thermophilic condition (55 °C, 100 days). The effect of alkaline pretreatment on foils degradation was also investigated. To examine changes in their mechanical and physical properties, static tensile tests and microscopic analyses, FTIR and surface roughness analyses were conducted. Despite the thermophilic condition, and the longer retention time compared to that needed for biowaste, a small amount of methane was produced with bio-based foils, even after pretreatment (ca. 30 vs. 50 L/kg VS) and foils only lost functional and mechanical properties. The pieces of bio-based materials had only disintegrated, which means that digestate may become contaminated with fragments of these materials. Thus, providing guidelines for bio-based foil treatment remains a challenge in waste management.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4775biopolymersstarch- and polylactic acid-based materialmethane productionsurface roughnesstensile strengthFTIR and microscopic analyses |
| spellingShingle | Magdalena Zaborowska Katarzyna Bernat Bartosz Pszczółkowski Irena Wojnowska-Baryła Dorota Kulikowska Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment Energies biopolymers starch- and polylactic acid-based material methane production surface roughness tensile strength FTIR and microscopic analyses |
| title | Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment |
| title_full | Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment |
| title_short | Challenges in Sustainable Degradability of Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials during Anaerobic Thermophilic Treatment |
| title_sort | challenges in sustainable degradability of bio based and oxo degradable packaging materials during anaerobic thermophilic treatment |
| topic | biopolymers starch- and polylactic acid-based material methane production surface roughness tensile strength FTIR and microscopic analyses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/16/4775 |
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