Morphological, surface and thermal properties of polylactic acid foils, melamine-etherified resin, and polyethylene terephthalate fabric during (bio)degradation in soil

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138554
• Publication Date: 2023-08-23T06:44:45Z
• Authors: Olivija Plohl; Alen Erjavec; Lidija Fras Zemljič; Alenka Vesel; Maja Čolnik; Mojca Škerget; Yee Van Fan; Lidija Čuček; Gregor Trimmel; Julija Volmajer Valh
• Keywords: Polylactic Acid; Degradation; Biodegradable plastic; Thermogravimetric analysis

The (bio)degradation of plastics in soil is a complex process that depends on several factors, such as the type plastic, environmental conditions, microbial activity, and presence other organic matter soil. Ageing thus also influences physicochemical properties plastic materials to understand mechanisms investigate changes due decomposition followed by fragmentation, gravimetric, morphological, surface, thermal were studied some them for first time. study was performed three different materials, polyethylene terephthalate (PET-fib) melamine etherified resin (MER-fib) form nonwoven fabrics polylactic acid (PLA) foils. exposed one, six months, only case PLA foil final four months. results show remarkable observed especially MER-fib after exposure soil, which related bio chemical degradation proceses. biodegradation indicated with microorganisms used (lactic bacteria, photosynthetic organisms, yeasts, actinomycetes, enzymatically active fungi), while showed it may occur at surface material elemental composition functionality. end products are presumably NH3 CO2, PET-fib CO2 H2O, including proposed conversion partial pathways. represent an important contribution understanding behaviour analysed (bio)plastics their natural systems pollution countermeasures cleaner production.