Introduction
Introduction
Plastic pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the twenty-first century. Among the various types of plastics, polyethylene terephthalate is one of the most widely used materials in packaging, textiles, and consumer products due to its durability, chemical stability, and resistance to degradation. However, these same properties hinder its breakdown in natural environments, allowing polyethylene terephthalate waste to persist for decades. Improper disposal of polyethylene terephthalate plastics, particularly in terrestrial ecosystems, has been linked to negative ecological impacts such as disruption of soil microbial communities, altered soil structure, and reduced fertility.
Conventional plastic waste management practices, including landfilling and incineration, are becoming increasingly unsustainable due to space limitations, greenhouse gas emissions, and the release of toxic by-products. In the Philippines, weak waste collection systems and low recycling participation further exacerbate this issue, resulting in large amounts of polyethylene terephthalate waste accumulating in soil environments. These challenges have intensified the search for effective, low-cost, and environmentally friendly methods to accelerate plastic degradation.
One promising approach is photodegradation through ultraviolet radiation. Studies have shown that ultraviolet B and ultraviolet C radiation can induce photo-oxidative reactions that disrupt the polymer backbone of polyethylene terephthalate, making it more susceptible to degradation. However, in real-world soil environments, ultraviolet exposure is often limited by shading, soil cover, and fluctuating environmental conditions, significantly reducing its effectiveness.
Alternatively, chemical oxidation methods have gained attention as potential plastic degradation strategies. Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizing agent commonly used in soil and water remediation to degrade organic contaminants. Recent studies suggest that potassium permanganate may also oxidize polyethylene terephthalate polymers, increasing surface roughness, introducing oxygen-containing functional groups, and enhancing susceptibility to hydrolytic and microbial degradation. Compared to ultraviolet exposure, chemical treatment may be more practical under soil conditions, particularly where light availability is inconsistent.
Despite the potential of both ultraviolet exposure and potassium permanganate oxidation, limited empirical research has compared their effectiveness under soil burial conditions. Soil is a complex environment influenced by moisture, microbial activity, pH, and organic content, all of which can affect degradation outcomes. Understanding how these treatments perform within such conditions is essential for developing realistic and scalable plastic degradation strategies. This study addresses this gap by comparing ultraviolet B pretreatment and potassium permanganate oxidation at varying concentrations under controlled soil burial conditions, with the goal of identifying a feasible and effective approach for enhancing polyethylene terephthalate degradation, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Statement of the Problem
Statement of the Problem
This study investigates the effects of potassium permanganate oxidation and ultraviolet B light exposure on the degradation behavior of polyethylene terephthalate plastics under soil-based environmental conditions. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:
One. What are the comparative degradation rates of polyethylene terephthalate plastics treated with different concentrations of potassium permanganate (zero point zero one molar,
zero point zero five molar, and zero point one molar) after five weeks of soil burial, as measured by percentage weight loss?
Two. Is there a statistically significant difference in the degradation rates of polyethylene terephthalate plastics among the three potassium permanganate concentrations across the five-week monitoring period?
Three. Is there a statistically significant difference in the degradation rates between polyethylene terephthalate plastics treated with potassium permanganate and those exposed to ultraviolet B lamp irradiation prior to burial?