Screening of different methods to establish the biodegradability of packaging materials - a useful tool in environmental risk assessment approach

The huge development of petroleum-based synthetic polymers which are unable to degrade in landfill or compost-like environment had led to serious environmental issues. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of biodegradable materials for packaging, agriculture, medicine and other areas. A number of blends made from biopolymers can be the alternative of currently used synthetic polymeric materials. The most common and potential biopolymers are starch, cellulose, gelatin, chitosan, PLA, PHAs, etc. The main advantage of biopolymers is the capability of full biodegradation at accelerated rates, breaking down cleanly into simple molecules found in the environment, such as carbon dioxide, water or methane, under the enzymatic action of microorganisms, in certain period of time. The most used methods for biodegrading biopolymers are: mechanical biodegradation process, use of light and temperature in the biodegradation process and biodegradation in soil or compost, in controlled or environmental conditions. The aim of this study is to describe the mechanism of action over the polymeric materials of each of the processes mentioned above; each of these methods being a useful tool in environmental risk assessment approach.