Aquatic, Anaerobic Biodegradation Tests

The aquatic, anaerobic biodegradation test was first published by the European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals as ECETOC Technical Report N 28 [61]. Later, more or less the same procednre was adopted as ISO 11734 [62] in 1995. Another very similar norm is ASTM D5210-92 [63]. Within the field of bioplastics a new version with some minor modifications was developed by the ISO TC 61/SC 5/WG 22. This version, ISO/DIS 14853 [64] is close to final adoption as an international norm. 

When O2 is available in a specific environment, this is called an aerobic environment when no O2 is available, the conditions are anaerobic. Several anaerobic environments exist, especially in places where oxygen is consumed or depleted more rapidly than it is replaced by diffusion. Examples include the bottoms of rivers, canals and lakes with a lot of organic debris, landfills, the rumen of herbivores and so on. Besides these natural examples anaerobic conditions also exist in several man-controlled environments such as septic tanks, anaerobic wastewater treatment plants, sludge digesters or solid waste biogasification plants. These anaerobic environments show a high biological activity that can be quite different from aerobic conditions. 

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No Observed Effect Level 1000 ppm, earthworm. (EC50) >10 mg/L, [Bacteria] (Pseudomonas putida) No inhibitory effect on the respiration rate of activated sludge at concentrations up to 100 mg/L. Considered ultimately biodegradable under anaerobic conditions in the biogas production test. European labeling R52/53 - Harmful to aquatic organisms, may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment S61 - Avoid release to the environment. 

Mueller, W.-R. and Joerg, J., 1999, Report of a ring test about aquatic biodegradability for plastics under strict anaerobic conditions based on ISO 11734 and ISO DIS14853, Draft Version, University of Stuttgart, Germany... 

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