Determination of Microorganisms’ Attack on Some Flexible Polymers by Using Soil Burial Test Method

Many controversial issues have recently been associated with plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (pPVC) used in building applications, mainly for flooring. One of them has to do with the health impact of some plasticizers and thermal stabilizers based on heavy metal compounds. Recent advances in the synthesis of polyolefins based on metallocene catalysts can yield similar flexibility for formulations as is now available for those based on pPVC. Polyolefin copolymers are considered to be possible replacements for pPVC. The soil burial test has demonstrated that highly filled polyolefin elastomer formulations having a significant percentage of post-consumer polyolefins (up to 60% in laboratory conditions) have interesting properties from the biodegradation point of view. They are more resistant to microorganisms’ attack than plasticized flooring formulations based on PVC that are currently used, even in a very harsh environment as soil, where complex mixtures of microorganisms are present. The effect of microorganisms’ attack after soil burial was evaluated by visual examination, weight loss, water absorption and changes in mechanical properties.