Laboratory scale aerobic biodegradability of packaging material : analysis through released carbon dioxide
Eshragh Jahromi, Parsa (2021)
2021
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021060714891
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021060714891
Tiivistelmä
Packaging waste is a major contributor to the global waste challenge with paper and cardboard, and plastic being the two most common types of pack-aging waste. To combat the global packaging waste challenge; recyclable, and more specifically biodegradable packaging materials, have emerged as a topic of interest for both the industries and scientific communities due to their recyclability and biodegradability. To ensure the biodegradability of packaging material, standardised methods are used to measure the biodegradability of packaging materials under specific conditions. One such standardised method is the EN 14046:2003 European standard, which evaluates the aerobic biodegradability of packaging materials under controlled com-posting conditions through analysis of released carbon dioxide.
The objective of this experiment is to examine the functionality of the biodegradability measurement system developed based on the EN 14046:2003 standard for the Pirkanmaan vähähiiliset kalvoratkaisut (PIHI) project, and to carry out a biodegradation test on biopolymer Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) packaging material, using PH-101 microcrystalline cellulose of size 50μm (Avicel®) as the reference material, through continuous measurement and analysis of the released carbon dioxide during their biodegradation processes.
The biodegradability experiment was carried out in the environmental laboratories of Tampere University of Applied Sciences. The results of the experiment indicate the functionality of the biodegradability measurement system used in the experiment. Furthermore, the PHBV packaging material showed sufficient biodegradation under controlled aerobic composting conditions, while the biodegradation of the Avicel reference material was marginally be-low the expected amount. Adjustments to some of the parameters in the mature compost used in the biodegradability system, and possible developments to the biodegradability testing environment have been discussed.
The objective of this experiment is to examine the functionality of the biodegradability measurement system developed based on the EN 14046:2003 standard for the Pirkanmaan vähähiiliset kalvoratkaisut (PIHI) project, and to carry out a biodegradation test on biopolymer Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) packaging material, using PH-101 microcrystalline cellulose of size 50μm (Avicel®) as the reference material, through continuous measurement and analysis of the released carbon dioxide during their biodegradation processes.
The biodegradability experiment was carried out in the environmental laboratories of Tampere University of Applied Sciences. The results of the experiment indicate the functionality of the biodegradability measurement system used in the experiment. Furthermore, the PHBV packaging material showed sufficient biodegradation under controlled aerobic composting conditions, while the biodegradation of the Avicel reference material was marginally be-low the expected amount. Adjustments to some of the parameters in the mature compost used in the biodegradability system, and possible developments to the biodegradability testing environment have been discussed.