During phase three of the ECOPRO project, research progressed from testing the feasibility of processing industrial-specified polymers to establishing compost microcosms as a new approach.
Throughout the process, polyethene (PE) samples were dyed with different concentrations of red curcumin-based dye, provided by project partner Avans and supplied by TUS.
To study degradation in soil, standard soil from the Frauenhofer IME, Schmallenberg was used. The PE pieces were weighed and incubated in the soil for 130 days at 20 °C and 60 °C. Fading of the colour was assessed visually, and degradation was determined based on weight loss. To measure potential toxic effects in the soil, recombinant bioluminescent E. coli was used.
The soil was extracted with water as the solvent and analysed both in the assay and via HPLC. The water-extracted soil showed no toxic effects on the bacteria.
Research may continue with anoxic experiments to further assess the toxicity of the extracts.
