Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions

The use of biodegradable (BD) plastic mulch materials as alternatives to the widely used low-density polyethylene (PE) is increasing nowadays, mainly for environmental reasons. However, the success of these materials depends, in addition to fulfilling their function, on completely degrading in the s...

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Main Authors: Jaime Villena, Marta M. Moreno, Sara González-Mora, Jesús A. López-Perales, Pablo A. Morales-Rodríguez, Carmen Moreno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
Series:Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/11/1910
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author Jaime Villena
Marta M. Moreno
Sara González-Mora
Jesús A. López-Perales
Pablo A. Morales-Rodríguez
Carmen Moreno
author_facet Jaime Villena
Marta M. Moreno
Sara González-Mora
Jesús A. López-Perales
Pablo A. Morales-Rodríguez
Carmen Moreno
author_sort Jaime Villena
collection DOAJ
description The use of biodegradable (BD) plastic mulch materials as alternatives to the widely used low-density polyethylene (PE) is increasing nowadays, mainly for environmental reasons. However, the success of these materials depends, in addition to fulfilling their function, on completely degrading in the short term, which depends on both their composition and environmental conditions. This study focused on the degradation pattern of five BD plastic materials of different composition (i.e., corn and potato starch, and polylactic acid plastic (PLA) films, blended with different copolyesters during their manufacture), in two soils with different granulometry (Soil 1 has less clay content than Soil 2), taken from organic vegetable fields under controlled laboratory conditions. Conventional PE was used as a reference. The degree of degradation was evaluated through the number of fragments, weight loss, and surface area loss until their total disappearance. The degradation trend of the BD materials was similar in both soils, although much faster in Soil 2. Their total visible disappearance was in the following ranges: potato starch, 225–250 days in Soil 1, 150–200 days in Soil 2; corn starch, 550 days in Soil 1, 300 days in Soil 2; PLA, 1000–1050 days in Soil 1, 350–475 days in Soil 2. PE remained practically intact in both trials. The degradation model of potato starch materials fitted a decreasing exponential model in both soils, while the other bioplastics followed a decreasing Gompertz model, in all cases with steeper slopes in Soil 2. The curves of the degradation models indicated how the same material can degrade differently depending on the type of soil, information that could be useful for users and manufacturers in the framework of a sustainable agriculture.
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spelling doaj.art-add9e983c1a74048b616e419be01c3fb2023-11-24T07:25:01ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722022-11-011211191010.3390/agriculture12111910Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory ConditionsJaime Villena0Marta M. Moreno1Sara González-Mora2Jesús A. López-Perales3Pablo A. Morales-Rodríguez4Carmen Moreno5Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering in Ciudad Real, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ronda de Calatrava 7, 13071 Ciudad Real, SpainHigher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering in Ciudad Real, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ronda de Calatrava 7, 13071 Ciudad Real, SpainCouncil of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha, 13270 Almagro (Ciudad Real), SpainHigher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering in Ciudad Real, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ronda de Calatrava 7, 13071 Ciudad Real, SpainHigher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering in Ciudad Real, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ronda de Calatrava 7, 13071 Ciudad Real, SpainHigher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering in Ciudad Real, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ronda de Calatrava 7, 13071 Ciudad Real, SpainThe use of biodegradable (BD) plastic mulch materials as alternatives to the widely used low-density polyethylene (PE) is increasing nowadays, mainly for environmental reasons. However, the success of these materials depends, in addition to fulfilling their function, on completely degrading in the short term, which depends on both their composition and environmental conditions. This study focused on the degradation pattern of five BD plastic materials of different composition (i.e., corn and potato starch, and polylactic acid plastic (PLA) films, blended with different copolyesters during their manufacture), in two soils with different granulometry (Soil 1 has less clay content than Soil 2), taken from organic vegetable fields under controlled laboratory conditions. Conventional PE was used as a reference. The degree of degradation was evaluated through the number of fragments, weight loss, and surface area loss until their total disappearance. The degradation trend of the BD materials was similar in both soils, although much faster in Soil 2. Their total visible disappearance was in the following ranges: potato starch, 225–250 days in Soil 1, 150–200 days in Soil 2; corn starch, 550 days in Soil 1, 300 days in Soil 2; PLA, 1000–1050 days in Soil 1, 350–475 days in Soil 2. PE remained practically intact in both trials. The degradation model of potato starch materials fitted a decreasing exponential model in both soils, while the other bioplastics followed a decreasing Gompertz model, in all cases with steeper slopes in Soil 2. The curves of the degradation models indicated how the same material can degrade differently depending on the type of soil, information that could be useful for users and manufacturers in the framework of a sustainable agriculture.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/11/1910biodegradable plastic mulchpolyethylenestarchpolylactic acidsurface area—weight ratiodegradation model
spellingShingle Jaime Villena
Marta M. Moreno
Sara González-Mora
Jesús A. López-Perales
Pablo A. Morales-Rodríguez
Carmen Moreno
Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
Agriculture
biodegradable plastic mulch
polyethylene
starch
polylactic acid
surface area—weight ratio
degradation model
title Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
title_full Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
title_fullStr Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
title_full_unstemmed Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
title_short Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
title_sort degradation pattern of five biodegradable potentially low environmental impact mulches under laboratory conditions
topic biodegradable plastic mulch
polyethylene
starch
polylactic acid
surface area—weight ratio
degradation model
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/11/1910
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