Results |
Qualitative Results
Throughout the experiment, there were two snowfalls which culminated in approximately 10 centimetres of snow in total. The first snowfall took place three days after the experiment commenced. After freezing, a thick layer of coarse, granular wet snow was formed and it encased all plastic samples. For the majority of the period of experimentation, temperatures were below zero. It can be deduced that these sub-zero temperatures in combination with the layer of frozen precipitation that covered the plastic samples had a preserving effect on the plastic, and most likely inhibited decomposition to some extent.
All snow was melted by the 28th day of the experiment. It can be expected that at this point decomposition rates underwent a significant upswing, and that most of the decomposition that was eventually found to have occurred took place in the 9 final days of the experiment that followed the melting of the snow. Temperatures were elevated and the plastic no longer had a casing of ice surrounding it, creating a barrier to micro-organisms that surrounded the plastic.
After 37 days, all plastic samples were coated with earth and pieces of vegetation. Fundamentally, there was no apparent change in the appearance of the oxo-biodegradable bags and the synthetic plastic bags. They look to be approximately the same size as they were before the experiment, as well as the same colour and of the same thickness. In the bioplastic samples, however, a change in appearance can be observed. The colour of the bioplastic bags appears to have become subdued over the course of the experiment, and they feel thinner in width.
All snow was melted by the 28th day of the experiment. It can be expected that at this point decomposition rates underwent a significant upswing, and that most of the decomposition that was eventually found to have occurred took place in the 9 final days of the experiment that followed the melting of the snow. Temperatures were elevated and the plastic no longer had a casing of ice surrounding it, creating a barrier to micro-organisms that surrounded the plastic.
After 37 days, all plastic samples were coated with earth and pieces of vegetation. Fundamentally, there was no apparent change in the appearance of the oxo-biodegradable bags and the synthetic plastic bags. They look to be approximately the same size as they were before the experiment, as well as the same colour and of the same thickness. In the bioplastic samples, however, a change in appearance can be observed. The colour of the bioplastic bags appears to have become subdued over the course of the experiment, and they feel thinner in width.
Quantitative Results
Table II: The results of a student's T-test by comparison type.