Effect of composting plant material with copolyester on quality of organic matter

The problem of incorporating plastics into the environment will be aggravating, both regarding its scale and kind of these materials. Investigations were carried out using aliphatic-aromatic copolyester poly (succinate-co-glutarate-co-adipate-co-terephthalate 1,4-butylene) with addition of fatty acid dimers. The work aimed to determine the effect of composting the copolyester with plant biomass on changes of fractional composition of humus substances and their stability. Copolyester was supplemented to the biomass in the form of a nonwoven fabric in two doses. It constituted 8 and 16% of the dry mass of the composted substrates. The composting process was run within two ranges of ambient temperature 25-30°C and 40-45°C. After the completion of this process, the degree of material maturing was assessed using manometric methods and the carbon content was analysed in the individual organic matter fractions. On the basis of cumulated respiratory activity AT4 a lack of composted material activity was revealed in the higher temperatures of the process. However, in the objects where copolyester was transformed in the lower temperatures this activity was considerably diversified. Adding copolyester to the composted biomass led to a diversification of the C_ha : C_fa ratio. The values of C_ha : C_fa ratio most approximating 1.5, ie the value regarded as optimal, were registered in the object, where copolyester supplement constituted 16% and the plant biomass was maintained within the 40-45°C temperature range.