EN 17417:2020

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2021
Ugotavljanje dokončne biorazgradnje plastičnih materialov v vodnem sistemu pri
anoksičnih (denitrifikacijskih) pogojih - Metoda z meritvijo zviševanja tlaka
Determination of the ultimate biodegradation of plastics materials in an aqueous system
under anoxic (denitrifying) conditions - Method by measurement of pressure increase
Bestimmung der vollständigen Bioabbaubarkeit von Kunststoff-Materialien in wässriger
Phase unter anoxischen (denitrifizierenden) Bedingungen - Verfahren mittels Messung
der Druckzunahme
Détermination de la biodégradation ultime des matériaux plastiques dans un système
aqueux dans des conditions anoxiques (dénitrifiantes) - Méthode par mesure de
l'augmentation de pression
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 17417:2020
ICS:
13.030.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi z Other standards related to
odpadki wastes
83.080.01 Polimerni materiali na Plastics in general
splošno
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 17417
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2020
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 13.030.99; 83.080.01
English Version
Determination of the ultimate biodegradation of plastics
materials in an aqueous system under anoxic
(denitrifying) conditions - Method by measurement of
pressure increase
Détermination de la biodégradation ultime des Bestimmung der vollständigen Bioabbaubarkeit von
matériaux plastiques dans un système aqueux dans des Kunststoff-Materialien in wässriger Phase unter
conditions anoxiques (dénitrifiantes) - Méthode par anoxischen (denitrifizierenden) Bedingungen -
mesure de l'augmentation de pression Verfahren mittels Messung der Druckzunahme
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 21 September 2020.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 17417:2020 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Principle . 9
5 Equipment and materials. 9
5.1 Pressure measurement system . 9
5.2 Stirring platform or single magnetic stirrers .10
5.3 Room or incubator with a constant temperature of (20 ± 2) °C .10
5.4 Argon for the elimination of oxygen from the medium and the gas space.10
5.5 Thermometer .11
5.6 Membrane filter.11
5.7 Activated sludge from the denitrification tank of a waste water treatment plant .11
5.8 KOH or used for sorption .11
5.9 HCl used for titration .11
5.10 pH meter with electrodes .11
5.11 Pipettes, pipette tips .11
5.12 Photometric cuvette tests .11
5.13 Photometer for the procedures or cuvette tests .12
5.14 Analytical balance .12
6 Preparation .12
6.1 Determination of the volume of each reaction vessel .12
6.2 Sample preparation .12
6.3 Preparation of the medium .12
6.3.1 Reagents .12
6.3.2 Distilled or deionized water .12
6.3.3 Preparation of the concentrates .12
6.3.4 Preparation of the medium .14
6.4 Preparation of the inoculum .14
7 Test procedure .14
7.1 Start of test .14
7.2 Determination of the initial concentrations (analytical sample) .16
7.2.1 Determination of pH .16
7.2.2 Determination of the suspended solids of the inoculum .16
7.2.3 Determination of ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen (for a
nitrogen balance) .16
7.2.4 Protein determination (for a nitrogen and carbon balance) .16
7.2.5 Determination of DOC (for a carbon balance) .17
7.3 Incubation period .17
7.4 End of test .17
7.5 Determination of CO absorbed in absorption vessels (for a carbon balance) .17
8 Calculation and evaluation .17
8.1 Calculation of the theoretical N production . 17
8.2 Calculation of the present N production . 18
8.3 Calculation of the level of degradation related to the nitrogen production . 19
8.4 Generation of a nitrogen balance . 19
8.5 Evaluation and expression of results . 20
9 Validity of results . 20
10 Test report . 21
Annex A (informative) Test scheme — Calculation of the maximum permitted initial mass
of the test substance and the minimum nitrate concentration . 22
A.1 General . 22
A.2 Upper pressure measurement limit . 22
A.3 Sorption capacity of the sorption solution (if applicable) . 23
A.4 pH buffer capacity of the medium . 23
A.5 Minimum nitrate concentration . 24
Annex B (informative) Examples of degradation curves . 25
Annex C (informative) Calculation of the produced inorganic carbon and preparation of a
carbon balance . 28
C.1 Calculation of the produced inorganic carbon . 28
C.2 Generation of a carbon balance . 29
C.3 Calculation of the level of biodegradation related to carbon . 30
Bibliography . 31

European foreword
This document (EN 17417:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 249 “Plastics”,
the secretariat of which is held by NBN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2021, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by May 2021.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the
United Kingdom.
Introduction
Biodegradation of a chemical substance strongly depends on environmental conditions. The presence
or the absence of oxygen is significant for the metabolic pathway on which the degradation by bacteria
can take place. At present, several test methods for the investigation of biodegradability of polymers
under aerobic conditions, but only a few test methods for the investigation of biodegradability under
anaerobic conditions exist. However, degradation under anoxic (denitrifying) conditions has barely
been considered yet. The concept “anoxic” has been created by engineers and designates conditions
under whic
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