prSRPS EN ISO 14852:2025

Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in an aqueous medium — Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide

Scope

This document specifies a method, by measuring the amount of carbon dioxide evolved, for the determination of the degree of aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials, including those containing formulation additives. The test material is exposed in a synthetic medium under standardized laboratory conditions to an inoculum from activated sludge under aerobic conditions.
The method enables the assessment of the biodegradation to be improved by calculating a carbon balance (optional, see Annex C).
The method applies to the following materials:
—    natural and/or synthetic polymers, copolymers or mixtures thereof;
—    plastic materials which contain additives such as plasticizers, colorants or other compounds;
—    water-soluble polymers;
—    materials which, under the test conditions, do not inhibit the microorganisms present in the inoculum. Inhibitory effects can be determined using an inhibition control or by another appropriate method (see, for example, ISO 8192[1]). If the test material is inhibitory to the inoculum, a lower test concentration, another inoculum or a pre-exposed inoculum can be used.
The method prescribes two different set-ups:
—    —   A static set-up in which aerobic conditions are guaranteed via diffusion of air from the headspace of the test reactor into the aqueous solution, and
—    —   a dynamic set-up in which aerobic conditions are guaranteed via actively blowing air/oxygen into the aqueous solution.