Study of aerobic biodegradability of HDPE with degradable additives by composing

Abstract

The study determinate the percentage of biodegradability of samples of high density polyethylene (HDPE) with degrading additives, in controlled conditions in a period of 90 days for which the generation of CO 2 from biological processes of soil microorganisms was used as an indicator of biodegradability. For the absorption of CO 2 were used solutions of 0.1 M and 0.5 M KOH. In addition, the analysis parameters stipulated in the standard NTE INEN 2040: 2012 were established to select the composting inoculum. As a positive control was used cellulose which reached 91 % of biodegradability with respect to the theoretical value of CO 2 that this material can generate. The results obtained at the end of the 90 days, indicated that the HDPE sample with A1 additive reached 75 % biodegradability by CO 2 generation, followed by HDPE-A2 with 43 % and HDPE-A3 with 22 % with respect to cellulose. The values show that the additive A1 is biodegradable under composting conditions, this was established by the criterion of the standard NTE INEN 2643: 2012 "Specifications for compostable plastics". The results show that the biodegradable additives are a possible solu- tion to the great environmental problem that have generated the plastics.