Influence of nano-activated carbon on biodegradation of bamboo paper in the soil

Paper made from natural fiber of ampel bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) and nano-activated carbon from sawdust had been tested as food packaging and showed its ability to maintain freshness and nutritive value of foodstuffs. However, as a packaging material, natural degradability of this alternative natural-fiber paper is required to be tested. This study aims to determine the effect of nano-activated carbon on paper's biodegradation properties. The results showed that paper treated with nano-activated carbon degraded faster in the soil compared to paper made of bamboo fiber only (control) after 8 weeks of observation. The microorganism population density analysis showed that the paper with nano-activated carbon had a lower microorganism density than the control which accompanied by a decrease in paper weight after 12 weeks of observation. This finding demonstrates the potential utilization of nano-activated carbon as an additive to be inserted into paper to accelerate the biodegradation rate of paper in the soil. The ability of paper to be degraded naturally is very important to support environmental sustainability.