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Biodegradability and Compostability of Nanofibrillar Cellulose-Based Products

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Abstract

Biodegradability and compostability of nanofibrillar cellulose-based (NFC) products including films, concentrated NFC and paper products containing NFC were evaluated under controlled composting conditions. All the NFC products tested were biodegradable according to the requirements set in European standard EN 13432. NFC even enhanced the rate of biodegradability of paper containing 1.5 % NFC as an additive. Disintegration during composting was evaluated using the modified pilot-scale composting test EN 14045. NFC films disintegrated completely in 3 weeks of composting, and NFC did not influence the degradability of paper products containing NFC. Ecotoxicity during biodegradation of NFC products in a compost environment was evaluated using a bioluminescence test with Vibrio fischeri. No acute toxicity was detected for any of the samples.

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Acknowledgments

UPM Biofibrils were supplied by UPM-Kymmene. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under Grant Agreement No. 247989 (NanoSustain—Development of sustainable solutions for nanotechnology-based products based on hazard characterization and LCA). The authors wish also to thank Tarja Eriksson and Anna Lehtonen for valuable assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tietotie 2, P.O. Box 1000, Espoo, 02044 VTT, Finland

    M. Vikman, J. Vartiainen & I. Tsitko

  2. UPM-Kymmene Oyj, Helsinki, Finland

    P. Korhonen

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  1. M. Vikman
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  2. J. Vartiainen
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  3. I. Tsitko
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  4. P. Korhonen
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Correspondence to M. Vikman.

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Vikman, M., Vartiainen, J., Tsitko, I. et al. Biodegradability and Compostability of Nanofibrillar Cellulose-Based Products. J Polym Environ 23, 206–215 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-014-0694-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-014-0694-3

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