en.Wedoany.com Reported - The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) has approved a new standard for estimating the complete biodegradation time of non-floating plastics designed for use in aquatic environments. Designated as D8646, this standard was developed by the ASTM Plastics Committee.

Ramani Narayan, a distinguished professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University, stated that industry, academia, government, and regulatory bodies require a reliable, science-driven standard to estimate the complete biodegradation time of plastics used in aquatic environments. He noted that conducting biodegradation tests at low temperatures is often impractical due to slow reaction rates, which increase time and costs.

According to Narayan, this new test method applies fundamental reaction kinetics principles to experimental aerobic biodegradation data from ASTM and ISO test methods, estimating the time required for microbial metabolism to completely remove polymer carbon at the lower temperatures typical of aquatic environments.

ASTM stated that this work directly relates to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 14 (Life Below Water). Narayan believes the new standard provides a verifiable testing and reporting method to address the issue of plastic persistence and accumulation in oceans.

ASTM encourages laboratories and researchers using its standards for biodegradability studies to participate in the planned D8646 interlaboratory study.

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