Biodegradation Properties of Natural Fibres from Renewable Resources

The interest in natural fibres in non - textile applications has increased as a result of the search for new renewable materials. Especially attractive for environmental safety demands are biodegradable and renewable fibres such as lignocellulose fibres and biopolymers such as PLA. The analysis of their biodegradation is often taken as a standard measure for environmentally friendly textile materials. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to investigate the biodegradation properties of Jute and PLA fibres by soil burial test. The fibres were exposed to the farmland soil for 11 days. The efficiency of the biodegradability was determined by comparison of mass loss, mechanical properties (finesses and tenacity) and morphological analysis by SEM microscope. With the purpose of a better understanding of biodegradation, the number of total fungi and bacteria in the soil is also determined.