Films and non-wovens coated by chitosan for special applications: Biological decomposition aspect

The utilisation of sanitary products in the context of increasing amounts of household waste is a very important question. Their lack of susceptibility to biodegradation generates great social and environmental problems. This article presents the results of tests aimed at devising biodegradable non-woven fabrics which would be characterised by sufficient strength and the ability to disintegrate quickly in a water environment. The non-woven fabrics were obtained from polypropylene or viscose fibres with the use of buffered chitosan salt as a binding agent. The obtained results of ground & water degradation and the respirometric test encourage the use of modified non-woven fabrics in the production of disposable hygienic products.