Measuring the Biodegradability of Plastic Polymers in Olive-Mill Waste Compost with an Experimental Apparatus

Table 1

Characteristics of the samples used in the trials of the experimental apparatus.

		Inoculum	A	B	C	D	Ref.
		Compost	PCL	PCL	PLA/PBAT	PE
Amount	g vessel^−1	276.0	23.0	23.0	23.0	23.0	23.0
Moisture	%	51.10	1.14	2.75	0.41	0.46	0
Ash	%	18.00	1.21	2.07	5.90	0.35	0
Carbon	%	44.7	60.5	59.0	58.4	84.0	44.4
Nitrogen	%	4.50	2.56	3.76	0.18	1.09	0
ThCO2	g vessel^−1	221.2	50.4	48.4	49.0	70.5	37.4

Data are referred on dry matter base; PCL, poly(-caprolactone) composite; PLA/PBAT, compatibilized polylactic acid and polybutyrate blend; PE, polyethylene (negative reference); Ref., reference (pure cellulose, Sigma-Aldrich); ThCO₂, theoretical CO₂ emission.