The biodegradation of poly-β-(hydroxybutyrate), poly-β-(hydroxybutyrate-co-β-valerate) and poly(ε-caprolactone) in compost derived from municipal solid waste

Understanding the behavior of polymeric materials, particularly their biodegradation, is fundamental for solving problems in the management of environmental residues. In this work. we used a monitoring system based on an aerobic biodegradation technique known as the Sturm test to investigate the biodegradation of poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate), poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate-co-beta-valerate) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone), in compost derived from municipal solid waste. The thermal analysis of these polymers was done using differential scanning calorimeter. The melting temperature and crystallinity were also determined. The results showed that poly-beta-(hydroxybutyrate) degraded faster than the other two polymers, probably because the chemical structure of this polymer made attack by microorganisms easier. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.