News

The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Aviation Materials (VIAM) together with the Cienfuegos Center of the Ecological Studies (CEAC) (the Republic of Cuba) successfully completed the project on studying the potential of the island tropical ecosystems to biological degradation of polymer materials taking Cuba as an example.   

The project is financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

The aim of the project was to study the biodegradation of plastics that are most widely used in industry affected by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) contained in the soil of the Cuban Island.  

The experiment on exposure of the plastics’ samples in the representative areas of the island allowed to determine the materials most exposed to biodegradation; it also allowed to create a map of microbial load subdivision of the territory of the Republic of Cuba. Moreover, on the basis of the obtained data a technological strategy of utilization of the plastics under research exposed to the microorganisms of the island’s ecosystem.      

The implementation of the results of this project will make it possible to develop a universal, effective and environmentally friendly way of disposing of plastic waste under the influence of destructive microorganisms present in tropical island ecosystems.