In contemporary society, a solution or a minimally satisfying approach to the serious environmental problems stemming from the widespread use of polymers has been one of the great challenges the scientific community has had to cope with. The studies around these compounds, including their biodegradability, have acquired fundamental importance. In this work, we present the results from an evaluation of the biodegradation of poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHB-V) and poly-(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), with products obtained from composting of municipal solid wastes, using the technique of aerobic biodegradation characterization known as Sturm Test. The thermal analysis of these polymers was done using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The melting temperature and crystallinity were also determined. The biodegradation test showed that PHB degraded faster than the other two polymers, probably because the chemical structure of this polymer made the attack by microorganisms easier.
Environment; biodegradation; biodegradable polymers; poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB); poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate-co-beta-valerate) (PHB-V); poly-(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL); composted soil
