Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes
In this study, four different plastic materials usually used in the agricultural sector (polystyrene film (PS), polyethylene terephthalate film (PET), low-density polyethylene film (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene film (LLDPE)) were subjected to different abiotic treatments, including phot...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/3/359 |
| _version_ | 1797318340335632384 |
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| author | Zbigniew Emil Blesa Marco José Antonio Sáez Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodríguez Rosa Penalver Manuel Rodríguez Kristina Eissenberger Patrizia Cinelli María Ángeles Bustamante Raúl Moral |
| author_facet | Zbigniew Emil Blesa Marco José Antonio Sáez Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodríguez Rosa Penalver Manuel Rodríguez Kristina Eissenberger Patrizia Cinelli María Ángeles Bustamante Raúl Moral |
| author_sort | Zbigniew Emil Blesa Marco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, four different plastic materials usually used in the agricultural sector (polystyrene film (PS), polyethylene terephthalate film (PET), low-density polyethylene film (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene film (LLDPE)) were subjected to different abiotic treatments, including photo-oxidation (ultraviolet and e-beam radiation) and thermochemical treatments, to enhance polymer degradation. The extensive use of these polymers leads to large amounts of plastic waste generation, including small plastic pieces, known as microplastics, which affect the quality of the agricultural environment, including soil fertility and quality. Therefore, polymer degradation strategies are needed to effectively reduce plastic waste to protect the agricultural sector. The degree of polymer degradation was assessed by the use of thermal and spectroscopic analyses, such as TGA and FTIR. In addition, efficiency, cost–benefits, and potential side-effects were also evaluated to propose the optimal degradation strategy to reduce plastic waste from the point of view of efficiency. The results obtained showed that the pre-treatments based on photo-oxidation (ultraviolet B and C and e-beam radiation) were more efficient and had a better cost–benefit for the degradation of the polymers studied in relation to the thermochemical treatments. Specifically, ultraviolet photo-oxidation worked well for PS and PET, requiring low energy and medium times. However, e-beam radiation was recommended for PE (LDPE and LLDPE) degradation, since high energy and long times were needed when ultraviolet energy was applied to this polymer. Furthermore, the overall efficiency of the plastic degradation of pre-treatments should be studied using a multicriteria approach, since FTIR assessments, in some cases, only consider oxidation processes on the plastic surface and do not show the potential integrity changes on the plastic probes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:50:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad217921c26c4ced822828d721576e69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:50:59Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad217921c26c4ced822828d721576e692024-02-09T15:20:48ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602024-01-0116335910.3390/polym16030359Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation ProcessesZbigniew Emil Blesa Marco0José Antonio Sáez1Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodríguez2Rosa Penalver3Manuel Rodríguez4Kristina Eissenberger5Patrizia Cinelli6María Ángeles Bustamante7Raúl Moral8Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, EPSO, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, E-03312 Alicante, SpainCentro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, EPSO, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, E-03312 Alicante, SpainCentro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, EPSO, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, E-03312 Alicante, SpainDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, E-30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Ingeniería Química, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99, E-03080 Alicante, SpainSustainable Packaging Institute SPI, Faculty of Life Sciences, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Anton-Günther-Str. 51, 72488 Sigmaringen, GermanyDepartment of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, ItalyCentro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, EPSO, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, E-03312 Alicante, SpainCentro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández, EPSO, Ctra. Beniel Km 3.2, E-03312 Alicante, SpainIn this study, four different plastic materials usually used in the agricultural sector (polystyrene film (PS), polyethylene terephthalate film (PET), low-density polyethylene film (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene film (LLDPE)) were subjected to different abiotic treatments, including photo-oxidation (ultraviolet and e-beam radiation) and thermochemical treatments, to enhance polymer degradation. The extensive use of these polymers leads to large amounts of plastic waste generation, including small plastic pieces, known as microplastics, which affect the quality of the agricultural environment, including soil fertility and quality. Therefore, polymer degradation strategies are needed to effectively reduce plastic waste to protect the agricultural sector. The degree of polymer degradation was assessed by the use of thermal and spectroscopic analyses, such as TGA and FTIR. In addition, efficiency, cost–benefits, and potential side-effects were also evaluated to propose the optimal degradation strategy to reduce plastic waste from the point of view of efficiency. The results obtained showed that the pre-treatments based on photo-oxidation (ultraviolet B and C and e-beam radiation) were more efficient and had a better cost–benefit for the degradation of the polymers studied in relation to the thermochemical treatments. Specifically, ultraviolet photo-oxidation worked well for PS and PET, requiring low energy and medium times. However, e-beam radiation was recommended for PE (LDPE and LLDPE) degradation, since high energy and long times were needed when ultraviolet energy was applied to this polymer. Furthermore, the overall efficiency of the plastic degradation of pre-treatments should be studied using a multicriteria approach, since FTIR assessments, in some cases, only consider oxidation processes on the plastic surface and do not show the potential integrity changes on the plastic probes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/3/359agri-food waste plasticpolystyrenepolyethylene terephthalatelinear low density of polyethylenelow density polyethylenethermal analyses |
| spellingShingle | Zbigniew Emil Blesa Marco José Antonio Sáez Francisco Javier Andreu-Rodríguez Rosa Penalver Manuel Rodríguez Kristina Eissenberger Patrizia Cinelli María Ángeles Bustamante Raúl Moral Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes Polymers agri-food waste plastic polystyrene polyethylene terephthalate linear low density of polyethylene low density polyethylene thermal analyses |
| title | Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes |
| title_full | Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes |
| title_short | Effect of Abiotic Treatments on Agricultural Plastic Waste: Efficiency of the Degradation Processes |
| title_sort | effect of abiotic treatments on agricultural plastic waste efficiency of the degradation processes |
| topic | agri-food waste plastic polystyrene polyethylene terephthalate linear low density of polyethylene low density polyethylene thermal analyses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/16/3/359 |
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