An Analytical Workflow to Quantify Biodegradable Polyesters in Soils and Its Application to Incubation Experiments.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Polymer Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Biodegradable polyesters offer sustainable alternatives to persistent plastics in soil applications.
• Current methods for assessing polymer biodegradability in soil are limited, lacking accurate quantification and field monitoring capabilities.
• Accurate measurement of biodegradable polyester degradation is crucial for evaluating their environmental impact and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an analytical workflow for accurate quantification of various biodegradable polyesters in diverse soil types.
• To introduce a reliable method for monitoring the mass loss and biodegradation of polyesters in field conditions.
• To establish a foundation for precise monitoring of biodegradable polymers in soil environments.

Main Methods:

• Soxhlet extraction combined with proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy for high-throughput, selective quantification.
• Analysis of eight commercially important biodegradable polyesters and one non-biodegradable polymer (polystyrene).
• Development of a sample deployment-retrieval system for field-based biodegradation monitoring.

Main Results:

• The developed analytical workflow accurately quantifies multiple biodegradable polyesters in six different soil types.
• The study successfully monitored the biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) and polylactic acid from mulch films in agricultural soils.
• The combined analytical and field methods provide a robust approach for tracking polymer mass loss over time.

Conclusions:

• The validated analytical workflow and field deployment method enable accurate quantification and monitoring of biodegradable polyesters in soils.
• This research addresses a critical gap in assessing the environmental fate of biodegradable polymers.
• The findings support the reliable use and evaluation of biodegradable polyesters as sustainable material alternatives.