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Biodegradation of sugarcane bagasse and rice husk plates in tropical soils in Pucallpa, Peruvian Amazon
Biodegradación de platos de bagazo de caña de azúcar y cascarilla de arroz en suelos tropicales en Pucallpa, Amazonía Peruana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/ing.investig.122306Keywords:
agricultural waste, biodegradable products, biopolymer, biodegradation (en)residuos agrícolas, productos biodegradables, biopolímero, biodegradación (es)
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Biodegradable food-service items are increasingly sought to reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastics. This study evaluated the biodegradation performance of plates made from sugarcane bagasse (SB) and rice husk (RH) under tropical field conditions and different soil types. Plates were produced via thermoforming using six starch and glycerol formulations and their physico-mechanical properties were characterized prior to selecting the best formulation. Biodegradation trials were conducted over 90 days in three soil environments: open soil (OS), eucalyptus-reforested soil (ER), and compost-amended soil (OC). Weight loss was measured periodically, alongside monitoring of environmental parameters and soil physicochemical and microbiological changes. Both SB and RH plates exceeded 96% biodegradation within 90 days, meeting ISO 14855-2:2018 and ASTM D5338-15 criteria. SB generally degraded faster than RH in OS and ER, while no significant differences were observed in OC. The highest degradation occurred within the first 15 days, followed by a slower phase. Biodegradation contributed to increased soil moisture, total nitrogen, and apparent density, and altered microbial populations. These findings demonstrate that agricultural-residue-based plates can serve as viable alternatives to plastics, effectively reintegrating organic matter into soils. However, limitations include low physico-mechanical performance, the restricted range of environmental conditions tested, and the absence of performance assessment under actual food-service use. Future work should address durability improvements and evaluate degradation in diverse real-world settings.
Los artículos biodegradables para alimentos son cada vez más buscados como estrategia para reducir el impacto ambiental de los plásticos de un solo uso. En este estudio se evaluó la biodegradación de platos fabricados con bagazo de caña de azúcar (SB) y cascarilla de arroz (RH) en condiciones tropicales de campo y diferentes tipos de suelos. Los platos se fabricaron vía termoformado. Inicialmente se utilizaron seis proporciones de almidón y glicerol, estas muestras se caracterizaron por sus propiedades físico-mecánicas, para seleccionar la mejor formulación antes de las pruebas de biodegradación. Los ensayos de biodegradación se llevaron a cabo durante 90 días en tres tipos de suelo: suelo abierto (OS), suelo reforestado con eucaliptos (ER) y suelo con compost (OC). La pérdida de peso y los parámetros ambientales se midieron periódicamente. También se midieron los cambios fisicoquímicos y microbiológicos del suelo antes y después de los ensayos. Tanto los platos de SB como los de RH superaron el 96% de biodegradación en 90 días, cumpliendo los criterios de las normas ISO 14855-2:2018 y ASTM D5338-15. Los platos de SB se degradaron más rápidamente que los de RH en los suelos OS y ER. En el suelo OC no se observaron diferencias significativas. La mayor tasa de biodegradación se produjo en los primeros 15 días, seguida de una fase más lenta. La biodegradación contribuyó al aumento de la humedad del suelo, del nitrógeno total y de la densidad aparente, y a la alteración de la actividad microbiana. Los resultados del estudio demuestran que los platos a base de residuos agrícolas pueden servir como alternativas viables al plástico, reintegrando eficazmente la materia orgánica en los suelos. Sin embargo, entre las limitaciones del estudio están la baja resistencia físico-mecánica de los platos, la cantidad de parámetros evaluados y la ausencia de evaluaciones de los platos en condiciones reales de uso. En futuros trabajos se deberá abordar la mejora de la durabilidad y la degradación en condiciones reales.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Grober Panduro Pisco, Edwar Edinson Rubina Arana, Kiara Heidy Perez Torres, Lady Fiorella Flores Lopez, Dalia Carbonel
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