biodegradation

Technological features of obtaining biodegradable binary blends of polylactide with polyhydroxybutyrate, polycaprolactone, thermoplastic starch, polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene succinate-co-adipate are considered. The influence of polymer applications on physical-mechanical, thermophysical, technological properties and ability to biodegradation and biocompatibility of the obtained materials is revealed. The main possible directions of using binary biodegradable polylactide blends are considered.

Implementation of the proposed approach to bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils provides an intensification of the hydrocarbons degradation process biologically using a digestate as a bio-stimulant, contributes to the production of an ecologically safe substrate, and excludes its toxicity to living organisms due to the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

Photodegradable polystyrene-catalyst (PS-TiO2/SiO2) composite was prepared and characterized, and its degradation under sunlight was investigated. The morphology of TiO2/SiO2 was amorphous with particle size of 16.6–30.1 nm and the energy gap of the catalyst was calculated. The degradation process was for 288 h, the samples under investigation were two types standard (STD) samples – a mixture of PS with catalyst, and municipal waste residues (MWR) – a combination of PS-catalyst with MWR. The degradation was measured in dark and under sunlight.

The system of quality categories, integrated and single indicators was created for the marine ecosystem under the impact of oil production. On the basis of the integral differential approach, a significant and moderate degree of influence has been substantiated for the stages of drilling the well and extracting oil, as well as an insignificant impact for seismic exploration and decommissioning.

Biodegradation processes of oil products in the polluted soil were studied by using the mixture of the polymer complex [chitosan – lactoserum protein]–active silt. It is shown that all these processes take place due to the synergism of the components which form part of the mixture; the use of the developed biomixture ensures the effective biodegradation of compound oil hydrocarbons, a high degree of cleaning soil from pollutions, except the possible secondary pollution of environment.

In this paper an overview of novel biodegradable polymers for food packaging is presented. The aim was to present factors influencing polymer degradation and biodegradation in various environments. It was noted that biodegradable polymers are an imperfect alternative for classical polymers and their decomposition strongly depends on degradation environment. It was also shown that there are various approaches in different countries to certification of biodegradable polymer materials, which rather complicates its application than promotes it.

The information about generalized kinetic data which can describe biodegradation of polymeric materials (kinetics of biomass growth and methods of investigation of its formal mechanism of biodegradation, microorganism adhesion) has been presented in this paper.

the water transport and morphology (TEM data) shows the impact of polymer component ratio on the regulating water flux in a hydrophobic matrix. To elucidate the role of hydrophilicity of the second component presented in the PHB blends, we studied the PHB/PA blends where PA is the polyamide resin composed of statistical copolymer of hexamethyleneadipinate and ε-caprolactam in the ratio of 1:1. The complex of techniques including DCS and FTIR-imaging (for T-scale) demonstrates the interaction between PHB and PA in the temperature ranges of crystallization and melting.

The chemical composition of cell membranes of microscopic fungi destroying polymeric materials is analyzed. The concentrations of the major chemical components – phospholipids, glycans, and amines – in nine types of fungi are estimated. The measured ratios of these components provide an estimate of the hydrophobic properties of conidia, controlling microorganism adhesion to polymer surface and subsequent degradation of polymeric materials.

In this paper the contributors show the value of application of kinetic methods for the estimation of biocide activity. The authors have developed methods of quantitative estimation of biocide efficiency independent of its solubility in water. It is found that inhibited kinetics of microscopic fungal growth on nutriments with biocides is described by a logistic equation. They suggest parameters for the characterization of biocide efficiency.