Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of the disintegration of linen fabric under composting conditions

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, about 10% of the total wastes generated around the world were fabric wastes and, due to the large volume of these wastes, should be well managed. Among the various types of fabrics, some have greater biodegradability and can be decomposed at the acceptable rates under controlled conditions. In this study, the disintegration of linen fabric was investigated under composting conditions. During the composting process, temperature, moisture, and aeration were controlled. According to FTIR spectra of linen fabrics during the composting process, the disintegration of linen fibers was identified as the breakdown of carbonyl groups and hydrogen bonds of cellulosic chains. Regarding the SEM images of linen fabrics, the composting process in the first 45 days led to the breakdown of the fibers, and in the second 45 days of the process, most of the fibers were degraded. Since in the second 45 days of the process, the compost pile temperature is always between 39 and 44 °C and 65–70 °C, it can be concluded that the rate of microbial disintegration of the linen fabric is higher at these temperatures. At the end of the test, the disintegration value of the linen fabric was 55% and the weight loss due to organic matter conversion was 61%. The samples weight loss showed that linen fabric has high biodegradability under composting conditions. The germination index (GI) of the resulting compost was 73.88%, which indicates the produced compost is mature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams RC, Maclean ES, Dixon JK, Bennett EM, Martin GL, Lough RC (1941) Second interim report of the interdepartmental committee on utilization of organic wastes. N Z Eng 6:12

    Google Scholar 

  • Agarwal PK (2005) Role of protein dynamics in reaction rate enhancement by enzymes. J Am Chem Soc 127(43):15248–15256

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arshad K, Skrifvars M, Vivod V, Valh J, Voncina B (2014) Biodegradation of natural textile materials in soil. Tekstilec 57(2):118–132

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barrena R, Artola A, Vázquez F, Sánchez A (2009) The use of composting for the treatment of animal by-products: experiments at lab scale. J Hazard Mater 161(1):380–386

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Behera AK, Avancha S, Basak RK, Sen R, Adhikari B (2012) Fabrication and characterizations of biodegradable jute reinforced soy based green composites. Carbohydr Polym 88(1):329–335

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhat G, Parikh D (2010) Biodegradable materials for nonwovens. Applications of nonwovens in technical textiles :46–61

  • Desai AJ, Pandey SN (1971) Microbial degradation of cellulosic textiles. J Sci Indus Res 30:598–606

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EN 14806 (2005) Packaging- preliminary evaluation of the disintegration of packaging materials under simulated composting conditions in a laboratory scale test. BSI

  • Epstein E (2011) Industrial composting: environmental engineering and facilities management. CRC Press

  • Gigliotti G, Proietti P, Said-Pullicino D, Nasini L, Pezzolla D, Rosati L, Porceddu PR (2012) Co-composting of olive husks with high moisture contents: organic matter dynamics and compost quality. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 67:8–14

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Z, Lane R, Wen Z (2009) Composting clam processing wastes in a laboratory-and pilot-scale in-vessel system. Waste Manag 29(1):180–185

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kavkler K, Demsar A (2012) Application of FTIR and Raman spectroscopy to qualitative analysis of structural changes in cellulosic fibres. Tekstilec 55(1):19–31

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klemenčič D, Simončič B, Tomšič B, Orel B (2010) Biodegradation of silver functionalised cellulose fibres. Carbohydr Polym 80(2):426–435

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kopčić N, Domanovac MV, Kučić D, Briški F (2014) Evaluation of laboratory-scale in-vessel co-composting of tobacco and apple waste. Waste Manag 34(2):323–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar M, Ou YL, Lin JG (2010) Co-composting of green waste and food waste at low C/N ratio. Waste Manag 30(4):602–609

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuok F, Mimoto H, Nakasaki K (2012) Effects of turning on the microbial consortia and the in situ temperature preferences of microorganisms in a laboratory-scale swine manure composting. Bioresour Technol 116:421–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lashermes G, Barriuso E, Le Villio-Poitrenaud M, Houot S (2012) Composting in small laboratory pilots: performance and reproducibility. Waste Manag 32(2):271–277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li L, Frey M, Browning KJ (2010) Biodegradability study on cotton and polyester fabrics. J Eng Fabr Fiber 5(4)

  • Mohanty AK, Khan MA, Hinrichsen G (2000) Surface modification of jute and its influence on performance of biodegradable jute-fabric/biopol composites. Compos Sci Technol 60(7):1115–1124

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Müller R J (2005) Biodegradability of polymers: regulations and methods for testing. Biopolymers online

  • Park CH, Kang YK, Im SS (2004) Biodegradability of cellulose fabrics. J Appl Polym Sci 94(1):248–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petric I, Šestan A, Šestan I (2009) Influence of initial moisture content on the composting of poultry manure with wheat straw. Biosyst Eng 104(1):125–134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudnik E (2010) Compostable polymer materials. Elsevier

  • Salerno-Kochan R, Szostak-Kotowa J (2001) Biodegradation of cellulose textiles. Fibres Text East Eur 9(3):69–72

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sun ZY, Zhang J, Zhong XZ, Tan L, Tang YQ, Kida K (2016) Production of nitrate-rich compost from the solid fraction of dairy manure by a lab-scale composting system. Waste Manag 51:55–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sundberg C, Yu D, Franke-Whittle I, Kauppi S, Smårs S, Insam H, Jönsson H (2013) Effects of pH and microbial composition on odour in food waste composting. Waste Manag 33(1):204–211

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomšič B, Simončič B, Orel B, Vilčnik A, Spreizer H (2007) Biodegradability of cellulose fabric modified by imidazolidinone. Carbohydr Polym 69(3):478–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warnock M, Davis K, Wolf D, Gbur E (2009) Biodegradation of three cellulosic fabrics in soil. Summ Ark Cotton Res:208–211

  • Zucconi F, Pera A, Forte M, De Bertoldi MARC (1981) Evaluating toxicity of immature compost. BioCycle (USA) 22:54–57

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

    Mohammad-Javad Esmaeilzadeh & Abbas Rashidi

Authors
  1. Mohammad-Javad Esmaeilzadeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abbas Rashidi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abbas Rashidi.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Esmaeilzadeh, MJ., Rashidi, A. Evaluation of the disintegration of linen fabric under composting conditions. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 29070–29077 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2917-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2917-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation