Biodegradable plastics testing

Russo G, Candura A, Scarascia-Mugnozza G (2005) Soil solarization with biodegradable plastic film two years of experimental tests. Acta Hort (ISHS) 691 717-724... 

Biodegradable plastic products must meet stringent quality criteria if they are to be composted. Dedicated standards and certification schemes/tests have been established for verifying the compostability of plastic products. 

Petri dish tests are more likely to give an estimate of primary bio degradability than ultimate biodegradability these tests give an estimate of the resistance of plastic to microbiological degradation and the clear zones do not necessarily show the complete consumption of the material but degradation of the polymer bonds. 

These test metho ds, and especially liquid medium tests, are considered as accelerated tests and do not necessarily correlate with the real exposition conditions of biodegradable plastics. Most representative tests are compost tests but they are more difficult to set up (especially when they use labeled material). It is necessary to assess the representativeness of these tests, especially liquid medium ones, in real-life conditions. 

Swift G (1994) Expectations for biodegradation testing methods. In DoiY.FukudaK(eds) Biodegradable Plastics and Polymers. Elsevier, pp 228-236... 

There are many norms that define the conditions of measuring bioassimilation (Table 14.2). We will only mention a few principles. In practice, only the aerobic tests measuring the CO2 released are practical, because in most cases the manufacturers of biodegradable plastics must be compatible with the norms EN 13432, EN 14995 and NF U 52001, which essentially refer to the aerobic measurements of released CO2. 

The formulation is designed for products which require very low toxicity. DINCH is a biodegradable plasticizer. There is no acute toxicological effect after oral or dermal uptake no skin sensitization in test animals no indication of geno-toxicity it is not a perisome proliferator no toxicity to reproduction. In addition. 

Torikai A, Kato H, Fueki K, Suzuki Y, Okizaki A, Nagata M (1993) J AppI Polym Sci 50 2185 Andrady AL, Accelerated environmental exposure. Laboratory testing, and recyclability study of photo/biodegradable plastics . Final Report to USEPA under Contact 68-02-4544 Task 11-60. January 1991. 

Sawada, H., 1994, Field testing of biodegradable plastics. In Biodegradable Plastics and Polymers (Y. Doi and K. Fukuda, eds.), Elsevier publ., Amsterdam, pp. 298-312. 

Seal KJ. Test methods and standards for biodegradable plastics. In Griffin GJL, editor. Chemistry and Technology of Biodegradable Polymers. London Blackie Academic Professional 1994. p 116. 

Choi, J.S. Park, W.H. Effect of biodegradable plasticizers on thermal and mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxy-butyrate). Polym. Testing, 2003, 23, 455 60. 

Many biodegradable plastics were not very well labelled due to some misapprehension about the difference between a degradable and a biodegradable plastic. Due to this fact, many international standards were developed in order to clarify this misconception. Among the associations dealing with these products are the American Society for Testing and... 

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