Correlation of Two Biodegradability Indices of PLA-Based Polymers under Thermophilic Aerobic Laboratory Conditions

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

 

I studied your manuscript entitled "Assessment of the biodegradability of five PLA-based plastics under thermophilic aerobic laboratory conditions". Some spaces need to be improved in terms of journal quality. I recommend a minor revision before further consideration for publication in the Sustainability.

 

1) The quality of the abstract and conclusion should be enhanced by the inclusion of significant research findings. More quantitative information in these sections would be beneficial.

 

2) This manuscript has a phenomenological style, observing a result and explaining it with statements. It would be helpful if you conducted more analysis based on published research.

 

3) The introduction provides a good overview of bioplastics, but it does not address some of the potential challenges and limitations. Please discuss these issues in more detail and explain how they might impact the development and adoption of bioplastics.

 

4) The research question is clearly stated at the end of the Introduction, but please describe why this research is important and what implications it could have for bioplastic development and adoption

 

5) According to the introduction, the biodegradability rate of bioplastics is highly variable and requires optimization. What impact might this variability have on the validity of the proposed optimal degradation index for bioplastics?

 

6) It would be helpful if you could discuss the potential trade-offs between using bio-based materials for plastics production and using those materials for other applications, such as food production.

 

7) Is there any significance to the observed differences in weight loss among the five PLA-based products tested? What could be the cause of this? Could it be due to differences in product composition or processing?

 

8) In particular, under thermophilic conditions, how does this study compare to previous studies on PLA biodegradability?

 

9) Compost is mentioned as an additive that may accelerate the biodegradation of PLA-based products. If so, how can this issue be addressed if microplastics are released into the environment?

 

10) It points out that thermophilic temperatures may not cause complete mineralization to carbon dioxide by biodegradation. Is this relevant to the environmental impact of PLA-based products and to the design of composting facilities that handle these materials?

 

11) Figure 1: Add Error bars if possible.

 

12) English language needs some polishing since some terms are vague. The paper's title is also recommended to be revised.

English language needs some polishing since some terms are vague.

Author Response

Please, see our responses to the attached file.

D. Komilis

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The reviewer's comments are attached in a separate Word document.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

In the present manuscript, the authors should check for language corrections. English needs to be carefully checked and again polished also, to remove vague sentences

Author Response

Please, see our replies to your comments in the attached file.

Kind regards,

Dimitris Komilis

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

 

Thank you for revising your manuscript titled "Assessment of the biodegradability of five PLA-based plastics under thermophilic aerobic laboratory conditions" for Sustainability. Your revisions have significantly improved the clarity and relevance of your work. Based on the changes you have made, I am pleased to recommend the publication of your article as is. Your study provides valuable insights for researchers and policymakers in the field.

 

 

Best regards.

 

Author Response

Thank you for your supportive comments.

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors addressed all the comments appropriately. I believe that the manuscript can be considered and will be accepted for publication in a “sustainability” journal

Author Response

Thank you for your supportive comments.