✦ LIBER ✦

An automated multi-unit composting facility for biodegradability evaluations

✍ Scribed by Ranjith Jayasekara; Greg T Lonergan; Ian Harding; Ian Bowater; Peter Halley; Gregor B Christie

Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
Year: 2001
Tongue: English
Weight: 250 KB
Volume: 76
Category: Article
ISSN: 0268-2575
DOI: 10.1002/jctb.388

No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

A system has been developed for studying the biodegradation of natural and synthetic polymeric material. The system is based on standard methods developed by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN TC 261) (ISO/DIS 14855) and the American Society of Testing Materials, ‘ASTM Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Controlled Composting Conditions’ (ASTM D 5338‐92). A new low‐cost compost facility has been used which satisfies the requirements of these standards. The system has been automated for data collection and has been run under the conditions specified by the standards. In the system, cellulose, newspaper and two starch‐based polymers were treated with compost in a series of 3 dm^3^ vessels at 52 °C and under conditions of optimum moisture and pH. The degradation was followed over time by measuring the amount of carbon released as carbon dioxide.