Behavior of polyethylene films in soil

 

Tamás Heffner1, Gabriella Rétháti2, Krisztina Pogácsás2, László Korecz3,
Imre Czinkota
2, László Tolner2, Ottó Kelemen4, Viktória Vargha1

1Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, H-1111 Budapest, Műegyetem rkp. 3-9. e-mail: heffnertomi@gmail.com, vvargha@mail.bme.hu

2Szent István University, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Department of Water and Waste Management, H-2103 Gödöllő, Páter K. str. 1. e-mail: rethati.gabriella@mkk.szie.hu, pogacsas.krisztina@gmail.com, imre.czinkota@gmail.com, tolner.laszlo@gmail.com

3Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Research Center of Natural Sciences, Institute of Molecular Pharmacology, H-1025 Budapest, Pusztaszeri út 59-67. e-mail: korecz.laszlo@ttk.mta.hu

4Qualchem Zrt., H-2072 Zsámbék Új Gyártelep, e-mail: qualchem@qualchemrt.hu

 

Virgin middle density polyethylene (MDPE) film, MDPE films containing pro-oxydative additives and thermoplastic starch and a commercially available biodegradable film have been buried in soil and monitored monthly for one year. Conductivity of the soil, visual, mechanical (Instron), structural (FTIR, ESR) and morphological (POM, SEM) changes in the films were tested. The polyethylene films suffered pure degradation.