Plastic Biodegradation

Comparing sustainability and natural biological degradation of natural and "green" plastics

The overall aim of this project is to quantify the biodegradation of two different bioplastics, PLA and PHA, through measurement of carbon dioxide emissions, which indicates microbial degradation of the plastic into carbon dioxide and water. This project considers natural biodegradability in different aquatic ecosystems: lake, river, and ocean. We also apply Life Cycle Assessment to compare the overall environmental sustainability of bioplastics compared to traditional plastics with an emphasis on end-of-life waste management.

Laboratory setup for biodegradation experiments.

The team:

Mary Foltz – Assistant professor, OSU
Kaan Kalkan - Associate professor, OSU
Karen McGuire-Diemer – MS student, OSU
Vicktoria Holdaway – BS student, OSU