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Degradation of Polylactic Acid (PLA) Plastic in Costa Rican Soil and Iowa State University Compost Rows

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Abstract

In this study the degradation of polylactic acid (PLA) plastic films in Costa Rican soil and in a leaf composting environment was investigated. Three types of PLA films were used: Ch-I, (PLA monolayer plastic films from Chronopol, Golden, CO), GII (PLA trilayer plastic films from Cargill Dow Polymers LLC, Minnetonka, MN), and Ca-I (PLA monolayer plastic films from Cargill Dow Polymers LLC). The average soil temperature and moisture content in Costa Rica were 27°C and 80%, respectively. The average degradation rate of PLA plastic films in the soil of the banana field was 7675 M w/week. Two compost rows were set up at the Iowa State University (ISU) (Ames) compost site. Temperature and relative humidity of the compost rows were kept at 55 ± 5°C and 50 ± 10% RH, respectively. The degradation rates of GII and Ca-I in the compost rows were 113,290 and 71,283 M w/week, respectively. Therefore, it was estimated that in Costa Rican soil and in compost rows, PLA would be visibly degraded in 6 months and in 3 weeks, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Center for Crops Utilization Research, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011

    Kai-Lai G. Ho & Anthony L. Pometto III

  2. Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica, 2060

    Arnoldo Gadea-Rivas, Jorge A. Briceño & Augusto Rojas

Authors
  1. Kai-Lai G. Ho
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  2. Anthony L. Pometto III
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  3. Arnoldo Gadea-Rivas
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  4. Jorge A. Briceño
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  5. Augusto Rojas
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Ho, KL.G., Pometto, A.L., Gadea-Rivas, A. et al. Degradation of Polylactic Acid (PLA) Plastic in Costa Rican Soil and Iowa State University Compost Rows. Journal of Polymers and the Environment 7, 173–177 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022874530586

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022874530586

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