Biodegradation of plastics

Gartshore, J., Cooper, D. G. Nicell, J. A. (2003). Biodegradation of plasticizers by Rhodotorula rubra. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 22, 1244-51. 

Shimao, M. (2001). Biodegradation of plastics. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 12, 242-7. 

Starnecker, A. Menner, M. (1996a). Assessment of biodegradability of plastics under simulated composting conditions in a laboratory test system. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, 37, 85-92. 

Biodeterioration and Biodegradation of Plastics and Polymers 1, ed. K. J. Seal. New York Biodeterioration Society, pp. 44-8. 

Biodegradation of plastics is conversion of all constituents of a plastic or hybrid material containing plastics to carbon dioxide, inorganic salts, microbial cellular components, and miscellaneous byproducts characteristically formed from natural materials. 

The D20.96 Committee of the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) worked intensively on test methods for water-insoluble polymers and plastic materials [38,39]. Since 1993, five standards for biodegradation of plastic materials in various conditions have been published (Table 2), and other test methods with different environments are nearing completion [39], i.e., anaerobic high-solid digestor and anaerobic accelerated landfill to simulate the fate of a material during solid waste management. Other experimental methods need to be developed for freshwater and simulated marine conditions. 

D5209-92 Test method for determining the aerobic biodegradation of plastic materials in the presence of municipal sewage sludge Aerobic n o... 

Cimmino A, Conte C, Incitte S (1991) Biodegradability of plastic bag chemical and regulatory aspects. Rass Chem 43 109-116... 

Kimura M, Toyota K, Iwatsuki M, Sawada H (1994) Effects of soil conditions on biodegradation of plastics and responsible microorganisms. In Doi Y, Fukuda K (eds) Biodegradable Plastics and Polymers. Elsevier, pp 92-108... 

ISO CD 14851, Evaluation of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastics materials in an aqueous medium—Method by determining the oxygen demand in a closed respirometer. 

ISO CD 14853, Evaluation of ultimate anaerobic biodegradation of plastics materials in an aqueous system- Method of analysis of carbon conversion to carbon dioxide and methane. ISO CD 14854, Evaluation of ultimate aerobic biodegradation of plastics materials in an aqueous system--Method by determining the oxygen demand, biomass and DOC production in a closed respirometer. 

ASTM D 5338. Determining the aerobic biodegradation of plastics materials under controlled composting conditions, 1992. 

NF EN ISO 846 itself specifies that this norm is empirical and does not intend to determine the biodegradability of plastics. 

ASTM D 5511-94, Standard test method for determining anaerobic biodegradation of plastic material under high solid anaerobic digestion conditions. 

ISO/DIS 14851 Plastics - Evaluation of ultimate anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials in an aqueous medium - Method by determining oxygen demand in a closed resperiometer. lOS/DIS 14852 Plastics - Evaluation of ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in an aqueous medium - Method of analysis of released carbon dioxide. 

Not unexpectedly, in the light of the above, there are no published test methods for the biodegradation of plastics litter. The primary requirement is that the detritus breaks down into small particles in a matter of... 

Biodegradation normally refers to an attack by microorganisms on water insoluble polymers. This implies that the biodegradation of plastics is usually a heterogeneous process. Due to the lack of water solubility and the size of the polymer molecules, miaoorganisms are unable to transport the polymeric material directly into the cells where most bioehemical processes take place rather, they must first excrete extracellular enzymes, which de-polymerize the polymers outside the cells. As a consequence, if the molar mass of the polymers can be sufficiently reduced to generate water-soluble intermediates, they can be transported into the miaoorganisms and fed into the... 

Palmisano, A.C., and Pettigrew, CJi., 1992, Biodegradability of plastics, consistent methods for testing claims of biodegradability need to be developed. Bioscience 42 680-685. 

Augusta, J., Muller, R.-J., and Widdecke, H., 1993, A nqnd evaluation plate-test for the biodegradability of plastics. A/tyl. Microbiol. Biotedmol. 39 673-678. 

ASTM D5338,1998, Standard test method for determining aerobic biodegradation of plastic materials under controlled composting conditions. ASTM Standard D5338-98-el. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Philadelphia (PA), USA. 

Yabannavar, A.V., and Bartha, R., 1994, Methods for assessment of biodegradability of plastic films in soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60 3608-3614.11. Swift, G., 1995, Opportunities for environmentally degradable polymers. J.M.S. - Pure Appl.Chem. A32 641-651. 

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