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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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:32:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-add9e983c1a74048b616e419be01c3fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:32:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| 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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