June 24, 2025 12:58

A team of Italian scientists from the University of Pisa, with support from the Biorepack Consortium, has developed a laboratory process based on analytical pyrolysis to measure the presence of polyethylene (PE) in biodegradable plastics.

While the use of polyethylene is permitted in small amounts — below 1% — in bioplastic formulations to enhance processability, there is currently no standard analytical method for verifying compliance. As the incentive to exceed this threshold for cost savings remains a risk, the need for fast and reliable quantification methods is becoming increasingly urgent.

To address this, the researchers have devised two analytical techniques: double-shot analytical pyrolysis-GC/MS (DSPy-GC/MS) and evolved gas analysis-MS (EGA-MS). Both methods have shown promising results.

Initial findings suggest that the techniques can accurately detect PE concentrations at or below the 1% limit, with negligible matrix interference. EGA-MS offers quicker results, while DSPy-GC/MS provides lower quantification limits, making both suitable tools for routine quality control and compliance testing in the bioplastics sector.

The full study has been published in the Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis under the title “Quantification of polyethylene in biodegradable plastics by analytical pyrolysis-based methods with GC split modulation.”

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