ISO 14855-1:2012 test method determines the ultimate biodegradability and disintegration of test material under conditions simulating an intensive aerobic composting process.

The inoculum used consists of stabilized, mature compost derived, if possible, from composting the organic fraction of solid municipal waste. Test material is mixed with the inoculum and introduced into a composting vessel where it is intensively composted under optimum oxygen, temperature and moisture conditions for a test period not exceeding 6 months. During the aerobic biodegradation of the test material, carbon dioxide, water, mineral salts and new microbial cellular constituents (biomass) are the ultimate biodegradation products.

The evolved CO₂ is continuously monitored, or measured at regular intervals, in test and blank vessels to determine the cumulative CO₂ production. Percentage biodegradation is given by the ratio between the CO₂ produced from the test material and the maximum theoretical amount of CO₂ that can be produced from the test material, which is calculated from the measured total organic carbon content.

BPC Blue is a fully automated biodegradability testing system suitable for ISO 14855-1 and may be configured to evaluate aerobic biodegradability of polymer samples under the same temperature range of controlled composting conditions using industrial compost as inoculum. Utilising an in-situ carbon dioxide absorption kit, BPC Blue functions as a closed-respirometer for continuous and on-line measurement of oxygen consumption or depletion caused by aerobic respiration of microorganisms.