ASTM D5988-03
(Test Method)Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation in Soil of Plastic Materials or Residual Plastic Materials After Composting
Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation in Soil of Plastic Materials or Residual Plastic Materials After Composting
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
The degree and rate of aerobic biodegradability of a plastic material in the environment determines the extent to which and time period over which plastic may be mineralized. Disposal is becoming a major issue with the increasing use of plastics, and the results of this test method may permit an estimation of the degree of biodegradability and the time period over which plastics will remain in an aerobic soil environment. This test method determines the degree of aerobic biodegradation by measuring evolved carbon dioxide as a function of time that the plastic is exposed to soil.
Soil is an extremely species-rich source of inoculum for evaluation of the biodegradability of plastics in the environment. When maintained appropriately with regard to moisture content and oxygen availability, the biological activity is quite considerable, although lower than other biologically active environments, such as activated sewage-sludge or compost. Soil is also the application target for composted materials, and therefore the biodegradability of such materials should be evaluated in the soil environment after the materials have been composted. A mixture of soil and mature compost containing composted plastic material (as obtained after performing Test Method D 5338) is therefore also an appropriate matrix for evaluation of the biodegradability of plastics.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the degree and rate of aerobic biodegradation of synthetic plastic materials (including formulation additives that may be biodegradable) in contact with soil, or a mixture of soil and mature compost, under laboratory conditions.
1.2 This test method is designed to rate the biodegradability of plastic materials relative to a standard in an aerobic environment.
1.3 This test method is designed to be applicable to all plastic materials that are not inhibitory to the bacteria and fungi present in soil and compost.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. A specific hazard statement is given in Section 8.
1.6 This ASTM test method is equivalent to ISO 17556:2003.
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Standards Content (Sample)
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Designation:D5988–03
Standard Test Method for
Determining Aerobic Biodegradation in Soil of Plastic
1
Materials or Residual Plastic Materials After Composting
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D5988; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope* D1898 Practice for Sampling of Plastics
D2980 Test Method for Volume Mass, Moisture-Holding
1.1 Thistestmethodcoversdeterminationofthedegreeand
Capacity, and Porocity of Saturated Peat Materials
rate of aerobic biodegradation of synthetic plastic materials
D2989 Test Method for Acidity-Alkalinity of Halogenated
(includingformulationadditivesthatmaybebiodegradable)in
Organic Solvents and Their Admixtures
contact with soil, or a mixture of soil and mature compost,
D4129 Test Method for Total and Organic Carbon in Water
under laboratory conditions.
by High Temperature Oxidation and by Coulometric De-
1.2 Thistestmethodisdesignedtoratethebiodegradability
tection
of plastic materials relative to a standard in an aerobic
D4972 Test Method for pH of Soils
environment.
D5338 Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegrada-
1.3 This test method is designed to be applicable to all
tion of Plastic Materials Under Controlled Composting
plasticmaterialsthatarenotinhibitorytothebacteriaandfungi
Conditions
present in soil and compost.
D5511 Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegra-
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
dation of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-
standard.
Digestion Conditions
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
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2.2 APHA-AWWA-WPCF Standards:
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
2540 D Total Suspended Solids Dried at 103°–105°C
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
2540 G Total, Fixed, and Volatile Solids in Solids and
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
Semi-Solid Samples
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. A specific hazard
2.3 ISO Standard:
statement is given in Section 8.
ISO 17556:2003 Plastics—Determination of the Ultimate
1.6 This ASTM test method is equivalent to
Aerobic Biodegradability of Plastic Materials in Soil by
ISO17556:2003.
Measuring the Oxygen Demand in a Respirometer or the
2. Referenced Documents
Amount of Carbon Dioxide Evolved
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
3. Terminology
D425 Test Method for Centrifuge Moisture Equivalent of
3.1 Definitions—Definitions of terms applicable to this test
Soils
method appear in Terminology D883.
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
D883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
4. Summary of Test Method
D1193 Specification for Reagent Water
4.1 The test method described consists of the selection of
D1293 Test Methods for pH of Water
plasticmaterialorcompostcontainingresidualplasticmaterial
after composting for the determination of aerobic biodegrad-
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ThistestmethodisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeD20onPlastics
ability, obtaining soil as a matrix and source of inoculum,
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmentally
exposing the plastic materials or the compost containing
Degradable Plastics.
residual plastic material to the soil, measuring the carbon
CurrenteditionapprovedNovember1,2003.PublishedJanuary2004.Originally
approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 1996 as D5988-96. DOI:
10.1520/D5988-03.
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
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contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. ForAnnual Book ofASTM Standard Methods for the Examination ofWater andWastewater, 17th Edition,
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on 1989, American Public Health Association (APHA), 1015 Fifteenth Street NW,
the ASTM website. Washington, DC 20005.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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D5988–03
dioxide evolved by the microorganisms as a function of time,
and assessing the degree of biodegradability.
4.2 The CO production measured for a material, expressed
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as a fraction of the measured or calculated carbon content, is
reported with respect to time, from which the degree of
biodegradability is assessed.
4.3 Alternatively, the consumption of oxygen, or biochemi-
caloxygendemand(BOD),canbedetermined,forexample,by
measuring the amount of oxygen required to maintain a
constantgasvolumeintherespirometerflask,orbymeasuring
thechangeinvolumeor
...
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