Table 2 Composition of commercial compostable bags and BDP fragments recovered from the composts as analyzed by 1H-NMR.

From: Municipal biowaste treatment plants contribute to the contamination of the environment with residues of biodegradable plastics with putative higher persistence potential

Sample

PBAT (wt%)

PLA (wt%)

BT/BA-ratio in the PBAT

 

Bag No.1

79.3

20.7

0.86

Average PBAT (wt%):

80.8 ± 12.1

Average BT/BA ratios:

0.91 ± 0.06

Bag No.2

66.1

33.9

0.96

Bag No.3

68.8

31.2

1.01

Bag No.4

92.0

8.0

0.87

Bag No.5

95.4

4.6

0.87

Bag No.6

95.4

4.6

0.86

Bag No.7

95.6

4.5

0.88

Bag No.8

79.3

20.7

0.85

Bag No.9

66.1

33.9

0.94

Bag No.10

70.2

29.8

1.01

f#1_1mm_9

82.5

17.5

0.99

Average PBAT (wt%):

92.8 ± 7.9

Average BT/BA ratios:

1.02 ± 0.12

f#1_5mm_1

99.2

0.8

1.00

f#1_5mm_3

97.4

2.6

1.02

f#1_5mm_4

100

–

1.02

f#2_1mm_3

100

–

1.15

p#3_5mm_1

77.9

22.1

0.93

p#3_5mm_2

100

–

1.33

p#3_5mm_6

82.1

17.9

0.99

p#3_5mm_9

89.9

10.1

0.95

p#4_5mm_1

96.2

3.8

0.94

p#4_5mm_2

95.6

4.4

0.90

  1. BT/BA-ratio in the PBAT: BT, butylene terephthalate; BA, butylene adipate, molar ratio of the two monomeric units found in the co-polyester PBAT. Fragments were coded as follows: p or f for pre-compost or finished compost, followed by the plant number (#1 to #4), an indication of the size fraction (> 5 mm or 1–5 mm) in which the fragment was found, and finally, the fragment number.
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