ISO 15985 – Ultimate Anaerobic Biodegradation Under High-Solids Anaerobic Digestion Conditions
As demand grows for biodegradable and environmentally responsible materials, manufacturers need reliable evidence of how products behave in real waste treatment environments.
Materials that claim to biodegrade may not perform consistently under anaerobic conditions, particularly in high-solids digestion systems used in waste processing. Without accurate testing, businesses risk unsupported sustainability claims, compliance challenges, and uncertainty around end-of-life performance.
ISO 15985 testing provides a standardised method for evaluating the ultimate anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials under high-solids anaerobic digestion conditions, helping organisations make informed development and compliance decisions.
What ISO 15985 Testing Involves
ISO 15985 specifies a method for determining the ultimate anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials by measuring biogas production under controlled high-solids digestion conditions.
The test simulates anaerobic environments such as:
- Industrial anaerobic digestion systems
- Organic waste treatment processes
- Biologically active waste environments
During testing, materials are exposed to anaerobic microorganisms in oxygen-free conditions. As biodegradation occurs, microorganisms convert the carbon within the material into:
- Methane (CH₄)
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
The volume of biogas generated is used to calculate the degree of biodegradation achieved.
Methodology
At Impact Solutions, ISO 15985 testing is carried out using controlled anaerobic digestion systems designed to provide reliable and repeatable biodegradation data.
A typical ISO 15985 programme includes:
- Preparation of representative material samples.
- Addition of anaerobic inoculum from active digestion systems.
- Incubation under controlled high-solids anaerobic conditions.
- Maintenance of stable temperature and oxygen-free environments.
- Monitoring of methane and carbon dioxide production throughout the test.
- Comparison against reference and blank samples.
- Calculation of biodegradation percentage based on biogas evolution.
- Comprehensive reporting with interpretation of results.
Testing conditions are selected to reflect the intended application or waste treatment scenario.
Relevant Industry Applications
ISO 15985 testing is widely used for:
- Biodegradable plastics and polymers
- Packaging materials
- Organic waste treatment systems
- Bioplastics development
- Single use product alternatives
- Environmental and sustainability assessments
Benefits of ISO 15985 Testing
- Evaluates biodegradation under anaerobic digestion conditions
- Supports sustainability and environmental claims
- Provides quantitative biodegradation data
- Helps compare materials and formulations
- Supports product development and compliance activities
- Generates data relevant to waste treatment applications
Need to understand how your materials behave in anaerobic digestion environments?
Contact Impact Solutions to discuss ISO 15985 testing and generate reliable biodegradation data to support your sustainability goals.
FAQ
Q: What does “ultimate biodegradation” mean?
It refers to the complete breakdown of the material by microorganisms into methane, carbon dioxide, biomass, and other natural by-products.
Q: What environments does ISO 15985 simulate?
The test simulates high-solids anaerobic digestion conditions commonly found in industrial organic waste treatment systems.
Q: How is biodegradation measured?
Biodegradation is determined by measuring the amount of methane and carbon dioxide produced during the test.
