Biodegradation of mulching films

International Conference and Exhibition on Biopolymers & Bioplastics

August 10-12, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Sedki Ben Ali, Richard Gattin and Nathalie Leblanc

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Material Sci Eng

Abstract :

More than 6.5 million tonnes of plastic are used nowadays in agriculture (mulchingfilms, greenhouse effect coverings and
irrigation tubes). About 10% of the total worldconsumption concerns mulching films. In fact, mulching improves the yield and
optimizesgrowth conditions by controlling soil humidity and temperature, disabling the growth ofweeds. Thus, it offers advantages
to agriculture such as the reduction of irrigation frequencyand the use of herbicides. In contrast, the majority of these films are
made up of PE (aresistant synthetic polymer) which causes a serious environmental drawback consisting of ahuge quantity of waste.
Moreover, it is forbidden to bury or to burn these films in field inapplication of a recent law concerning non-ultimate waste which
was introduced in 2002.Interest towards applying biodegradable plastics as a substitution for the conventionalplastic is promising
and the introduction of biodegradable materials which can be disposeddirectly into the soil can be a possible solution to the waste
accumulation problem. But beforeintensive use of these materials it is necessary required to examine their safety for theenvironment.
Once these materials are buried, they could represent a threat for soilcontamination and food produced.A biodegradation test of two
biodegradable mulching films (mainly composed ofstarch and PBAT) on soil medium under aerobic conditions was developed using
an inertmedium called pozzolan. This medium was activated by consortia (addition ofmicroorganisms extracted from two different
soil modalities in order to study the impact ofbiodiversity on the biodegradation rate) and a mineral solution. A follow up of the
evolutionof physical and chemical material parameters (DSC, TGA, SEM, RMN1H and IR) as well asthe evolution of the microbial
biomass (microbial C determined by using the chloroformfumigation extraction method, DNA extraction, CFU evolution) was
investigated during thetest period. The mineralization rate was evaluated based on the CO2 trapped (NaOH solution)during the
respiration of microorganisms.Terrestrial eco-toxicity test was performed on plants and earthworms to show apotential toxic effect
and to establish a dose-effect relation.

Biography :

My name is Sedki BEN ALI, I’am currently a student doing a thesis in bioplastics, in my third and final year at the University of Rouen in France. Previously, I
obtained a Master’s degree in Material’s Science at the institute of Material Science in Rouen.The theme I am working on is “characterization of bioplastics during
their biodegradation”.