GB/T 43289-2023 Plastics—Test methods for determination of degradation rate and disintegration degree of plastic materials exposed to marine environmental matrices under laboratory conditions (English Version)
Plastics—Test methods for determination of degradation rate and disintegration degree of plastic materials exposed to marine environmental matrices under laboratory conditions
Plastics - Test methods for determination of degradation rate and disintegration degree of plastic materials exposed to marine environmental matrices under laboratory conditions
1 Scope
This document specifies test methods for the measurement of the physical degradation of samples made with plastics materials when exposed to marine environmental matrices under aerobic conditions at laboratory scale.
This document is not suitable for the assessment of degradation caused by heat (thermo-degradation) or light exposure (photo-degradation).
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 527-1 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 1: General principles
ISO 527-2 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 2: Test conditions for moulding and extrusion plastics
ISO 527-3 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 3: Test conditions for films and sheets
ISO 4593 Plastics - Film and sheeting - Determination of thickness by mechanical scanning
ISO 16012 Plastics - Determination of linear dimensions of test specimens
ASTM D 638-14 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
biodegradation
degradation caused by biological activity, especially by enzymatic action, leading to a significant change in the chemical structure of a material
[SOURCE: ISO 472:2013, 2.1680]
3.2
degradation
irreversible process leading to a significant change in the structure of a material, typically characterized by a change of properties (e.g. integrity, molecular mass or structure, mechanical strength) and/or by fragmentation, affected by environmental conditions, proceeding over a period of time and comprising one or more steps
[SOURCE: ISO 472:2013, 2.262]
3.3
disintegration
physical breakdown of a material into very small fragments
[SOURCE: ISO 14855-1:2012, 3.3]
3.4
total dry solids
amount of solids obtained by taking a known volume of test material or inoculum and drying at about 105 °C to constant mass
[SOURCE: ISO 13975:2019, 3.5]
3.5
volatile solids
amount of solids obtained by subtracting the residues of a known volume of test material or inoculum after incineration at about 550 °C from the total dry solids content of the same sample
Note: The volatile solids content is an indication of the amount of organic matter present.
[SOURCE: ISO 13975:2019, 3.6]
4 Principle
This document describes three laboratory test methods:
a) Method A: Sand burial degradation test;
b) Method B: Sediment/seawater interface degradation test; and
c) Method C: Seawater degradation test.
These three test methods are based on the exposure of plastic samples to environmental matrices taken from the sea and on the measurement of physical degradation.
These three test methods differ for the exposure conditions.
In Method A, the plastic samples are buried in a wet sandy sediment (a condition similar to the sandy shoreline where beach is maintained wet by the waves and tides).
In Method B, the plastic samples are laid at the interface between a sandy sediment bed and a water column (a condition similar to the seabed where most debris sinks, accumulates, and undergoes degradation).
In Method C, the plastic samples are exposed to seawater.
The degradation rate of the plastic material can be measured as:
a) mass loss and/or
b) erosion and/or
c) tensile properties decay.
The three test methods can also be used to determine the time for disintegration, i.e. the time needed to get the plastic samples fragmented into pieces below 2 mm, as determined by the surface area loss and/or mass loss determination.
The three test methods can be performed together or independently.
Claims of performance shall be limited to the numerical result obtained in the test and not be used for unqualified “biodegradable in marine environment” claims and similar. The results obtained are solely referred to the propensity to physical degradation caused by exposure to environmental matrices. The results do not give information regarding the ultimate biodegradability in the marine environment.
The test design (i.e. the total number of tested samples, the number of replicates and of repeated measurements) of the test methods is flexible. The complexity of test design and the cost of testing can be modulated according to the requests and purposes of the client. For example, tests planned for results delivered under statistically optimal conditions can be arranged for certification purposes, while simpler tests can be arranged for screening purposes.
Standard
GB/T 43289-2023 Plastics—Test methods for determination of degradation rate and disintegration degree of plastic materials exposed to marine environmental matrices under laboratory conditions (English Version)
Standard No.
GB/T 43289-2023
Status
valid
Language
English
File Format
PDF
Word Count
10500 words
Price(USD)
315.0
Implemented on
2024-6-1
Delivery
via email in 1~5 business day
Detail of GB/T 43289-2023
Standard No.
GB/T 43289-2023
English Name
Plastics—Test methods for determination of degradation rate and disintegration degree of plastic materials exposed to marine environmental matrices under laboratory conditions
Plastics - Test methods for determination of degradation rate and disintegration degree of plastic materials exposed to marine environmental matrices under laboratory conditions
1 Scope
This document specifies test methods for the measurement of the physical degradation of samples made with plastics materials when exposed to marine environmental matrices under aerobic conditions at laboratory scale.
This document is not suitable for the assessment of degradation caused by heat (thermo-degradation) or light exposure (photo-degradation).
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 527-1 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 1: General principles
ISO 527-2 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 2: Test conditions for moulding and extrusion plastics
ISO 527-3 Plastics - Determination of tensile properties - Part 3: Test conditions for films and sheets
ISO 4593 Plastics - Film and sheeting - Determination of thickness by mechanical scanning
ISO 16012 Plastics - Determination of linear dimensions of test specimens
ASTM D 638-14 Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
biodegradation
degradation caused by biological activity, especially by enzymatic action, leading to a significant change in the chemical structure of a material
[SOURCE: ISO 472:2013, 2.1680]
3.2
degradation
irreversible process leading to a significant change in the structure of a material, typically characterized by a change of properties (e.g. integrity, molecular mass or structure, mechanical strength) and/or by fragmentation, affected by environmental conditions, proceeding over a period of time and comprising one or more steps
[SOURCE: ISO 472:2013, 2.262]
3.3
disintegration
physical breakdown of a material into very small fragments
[SOURCE: ISO 14855-1:2012, 3.3]
3.4
total dry solids
amount of solids obtained by taking a known volume of test material or inoculum and drying at about 105 °C to constant mass
[SOURCE: ISO 13975:2019, 3.5]
3.5
volatile solids
amount of solids obtained by subtracting the residues of a known volume of test material or inoculum after incineration at about 550 °C from the total dry solids content of the same sample
Note: The volatile solids content is an indication of the amount of organic matter present.
[SOURCE: ISO 13975:2019, 3.6]
4 Principle
This document describes three laboratory test methods:
a) Method A: Sand burial degradation test;
b) Method B: Sediment/seawater interface degradation test; and
c) Method C: Seawater degradation test.
These three test methods are based on the exposure of plastic samples to environmental matrices taken from the sea and on the measurement of physical degradation.
These three test methods differ for the exposure conditions.
In Method A, the plastic samples are buried in a wet sandy sediment (a condition similar to the sandy shoreline where beach is maintained wet by the waves and tides).
In Method B, the plastic samples are laid at the interface between a sandy sediment bed and a water column (a condition similar to the seabed where most debris sinks, accumulates, and undergoes degradation).
In Method C, the plastic samples are exposed to seawater.
The degradation rate of the plastic material can be measured as:
a) mass loss and/or
b) erosion and/or
c) tensile properties decay.
The three test methods can also be used to determine the time for disintegration, i.e. the time needed to get the plastic samples fragmented into pieces below 2 mm, as determined by the surface area loss and/or mass loss determination.
The three test methods can be performed together or independently.
Claims of performance shall be limited to the numerical result obtained in the test and not be used for unqualified “biodegradable in marine environment” claims and similar. The results obtained are solely referred to the propensity to physical degradation caused by exposure to environmental matrices. The results do not give information regarding the ultimate biodegradability in the marine environment.
The test design (i.e. the total number of tested samples, the number of replicates and of repeated measurements) of the test methods is flexible. The complexity of test design and the cost of testing can be modulated according to the requests and purposes of the client. For example, tests planned for results delivered under statistically optimal conditions can be arranged for certification purposes, while simpler tests can be arranged for screening purposes.
