J Polym Environ
used cellulose acetates to be biodegradable, especially
under composting conditions [20]. It is worth noting that
composting is a sequence of appearance of microorganisms
with a constant shift from the acid to the neutral and
alkaline pH region, in which the pH may reach values as
high as pH 9. These are also the conditions, under which at
least partly, acetyl substituents start to be cleaved off. The
temperature in naturally progressing composting may rise
up to 70 °C and higher by self-heating, which are intended
composting conditions for the sterilization of the soil [21],
(see Fig. 2).
In an attempt to degrade filter tow with a DS of 2.5
under natural composting conditions at the laboratory
scale, a temperature of 75 °C was reached. In this experiment the thermophilic phase ([50 °C) lasted for 6–12 days
[6