Latex Balloon Degradation in Water and Compost Over 16 Weeks

A 16-week study quantified the degradation of latex balloons in saltwater, freshwater, and industrial compost. The dataset includes bi-weekly measurements of mass changes, ultimate tensile strength, and surficial composition via ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Data was collected by the Australian Ocean Data Network, testing variables of balloon type (biodegradable vs. traditional), color (blue vs. white), and week sampled.

Use Cases

• Modeling degradation rates of materials based on mass loss measurements over time.
• Comparing the mechanical integrity of products using ultimate tensile strength data across different environments.
• Analyzing chemical composition changes in materials via ATR-FTIR spectral data.
• Assessing labeling claims by comparing 'biodegradable' versus 'traditional' balloon performance.

Strengths

• Experimental design includes three distinct environmental treatments (saltwater, freshwater, compost) over a 16-week period.
• Multiple quantitative metrics: mass, tensile strength, and chemical composition (ATR-FTIR) are measured.
• Controls are included: balloons straight from the package ('new') and inflated but untreated balloons ('inflated').

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network via data_gov_au

Collection Method

Experimental study with bi-weekly measurements of balloon samples under controlled conditions.

Time Range

Study duration of 16 weeks; specific calendar dates are not provided.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 19:43:09.163099; freshness should be verified.