In the face of increasing global plastic pollution, many scientists are trying hard to develop different types of degradable plastics, and also put forward many interesting and economically valuable ideas and ideas, using plastic boxes for household composting boxes. One of the assumptions is that the bottle is thrown into it and decomposed to produce biogas to power the home.
Now, researchers show that bioplastics and certain mixtures can decompose under different conditions, indicating that we have taken an important step toward this future solution. And they reported their results in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology.
White pollution is a global environmental problem, especially in the oceans – plastic fragments or plastic strips can damage or entangle animals and birds in the ocean, so that these animals die. Despite the increased levels of plastics recycling in many countries , but most plastic waste still exists in landfills or in our living environment.
Scientists have developed biodegradable plastics, but they often lack the flexibility, strength or toughness of traditional plastics. Mixtures of different bioplastics can improve these properties, but their harmony with the environment is uncertain. Tanja Narancic, Kevin O 'Connor, Ramesh Babu Padamati and colleagues want to study the degradation of various bioplastics and their mixtures under various conditions.
The researchers studied the degradation of 15 different plastics and their mixtures under artificially managed conditions, ie degradation under compost and anaerobic conditions, and degradation in unmanaged environments, ie in soil and fresh water or seawater. Lactic acid (PLA) is one of the best-selling biodegradable plastics on the market, but it needs to be decomposed under high temperature conditions and cannot be composted at home.
Surprisingly, under typical home composting conditions, a mixture of PLA and polycaprolactone (PCL) can be completely degraded to carbon dioxide, biomass and water. Many separate plastics and mixtures have been tested under anaerobic digestion conditions. Can be decomposed, this process can produce biogas, and the plastic is completely degraded by industrial compost.
Researchers say biodegradable plastic mixtures can create new possibilities for the management of plastic waste. However, under all soil and water conditions, there are only two plastics, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and thermoplastic starch ( TPS) can be completely decomposed.
Therefore, biodegradable plastics are not the best way to solve plastic pollution. The researchers pointed out that biodegradable plastics must be effectively managed by consumers.