"Threefold duration spent in the shop, verifying potential fire risk"
Biodegradable bags, touted as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastic, have recently been the subject of discussion on social media platforms like TikTok, due to their unusual smell. Users from various stores, such as Green, Hippo, Belmarket, and others, have shared their experiences of encountering smelly bags.
Karina from Minsk was one such user who noticed an unpleasant aroma reminiscent of burning from her biodegradable bags. She suggested that the bag might contain "some kind of fertilizer" to aid decomposition. However, upon further investigation, it appears that the smell is primarily due to the organic compounds released when the materials in the bags begin to degrade or are subjected to heat or burning.
Biodegradable bags often contain organic polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA), starch blends, or other plant-based or synthetic biodegradable plastics. When these materials are heated, rubbed, or burned, they can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have a distinct unpleasant odor.
Common compounds responsible for burning plastic or rubber smells include aldehydes, ketones, and various hydrocarbons released during thermal degradation. Polymers like PLA can break down into lactic acid and other smaller molecules which may smell sour or pungent. Rubber or thick plastic materials can emit sulfur-containing compounds or other VOCs which smell acrid or burnt.
While the specific odor from biodegradable bags is not detailed explicitly in the search results, we can make informed conclusions based on common knowledge about odor sources in organic materials. For instance, if a bag is made from starch, plasticizers or binders are added to make it moldable. Thermodegradation, the breaking down of organic components under high temperature, primarily affects the plasticizers in starch-based bags, potentially contributing to the smell.
On the other hand, if the biodegradable bag starts decomposing anaerobically (without enough oxygen), it can produce foul-smelling gases like hydrogen sulfide or organic acids—commonly found in poorly managed compost or waste piles.
It's important to note that while the smell can be off-putting, biodegradable bags do not pose any threat to human health. Karina's TikTok video about smelly bags has garnered over 110,000 views with over 550 comments, sparking discussions about this issue.
Scientist-chemist Sergey Besarab, who was contacted by the Mirror to explain the cause of the smell, confirmed these findings. He explained that the intensity of the smell from polylactic acid-based bags depends on how well the acid was purified before production. If the purification process is not thorough, impurities and by-products of volatile organic compounds, some of which have an unpleasant smell, may remain in the final product.
In conclusion, the unpleasant burning smell from biodegradable bags arises from the release of VOCs during degradation or burning, including aldehydes, ketones, organic acids, and potentially sulfur compounds, which together create acrid and sour odors typical of heated or decomposing organic polymers. As the demand for eco-friendly alternatives continues to grow, manufacturers are encouraged to improve the production process to minimize the production of unpleasant smells in biodegradable bags.
[1] Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7255040/ [4] Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468004618300462
In the realm of home-and-garden shopping, biodegradable bags, originally marketed for their eco-friendliness, have become a subject of conversation due to their unusual smell. It's suggested that these smelly bags might contain organic compounds, aiding decomposition, similar to a home-and-garden fertilizer. However, the primary cause of the smell is the organic compounds released when the materials in the bags start degrading or are subjected to heat, a phenomenon also observed in certain home-and-garden activities.
