Abstract
Abstract
Monitoring of various enzymes' production throughout the process provides useful information on the dynamics of composting and is beneficial for understanding the transformations occurring during composting. In this study, aliphatic–aromatic copolyesters with different polyethylene terephthalate/poly(lactic) acid ratios were subjected to laboratory-scale and full-scale composting conditions. Activities of hydrolase (urease, protease, lipase, and cellulase) and dehydrogenase were monitored during 21 days to better understand the effect of polymer presence on enzyme production. After 7 days, a significant increase in lipase, protease, and cellulase activities in compost soil with polymer indicates qualitative and quantitative changes in the content of particular organic polymers, probably due to polymer degradation. This observation was more pronounced for copolyesters A and B and also for reference material—model aromatic oligomer. This result is in correlation with dehydrogenase activity, which reflected a higher microbial growth in compost soil containing polymer. Production of all monitored enzymes was significantly higher in a real compost pile when compared to laboratory composting conditions.
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