Degradation of the blends of natural and synthetic copolyesters in different natural environments |
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Authors: | Maria Rutkowska Katarzyna Krasowska Aleksandra Heimowska Marek Kowalczuk |
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Institution: | 1. Gdynia Maritime University, Department of Chemistry, 81 Morska Str., 81-225 Gdynia, Poland;2. Polish Academy of Sciences, 34 M. Sklodowskiej-Curie Str., 41-819 Zabrze, Poland |
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Abstract: | The paper presents results of the biodegradation of the blends of natural and synthetic copolyesters in two different natural environments. Environmental degradation took place in compost with activated sludge at sewage farm and - for comparison - in the Baltic Sea in Gdynia Harbour. Degradation of these blends was monitored for 16 weeks in compost and for 6 weeks in sea water. The changes in macroscopic features of surface and the weight loss of the samples were measured during the performed experiment. The characteristic parameters of compost and sea water were also controlled during all incubation time and their influence on the rate of biodegradation is discussed. The results of this study revealed that the natural aliphatic copolyester i.e. 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) and its blends with the synthetic aliphatic-aromatic copolyester of 1,4-butandiol with adipic and terephthalic acids degrade faster in compost than in sea water. The rate of the biodegradation process depends on the composition of blends and different abiotic parameters of compost and sea water. |
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Keywords: | activated sludge 1 4-butandiol/adipic acid/ terephthalic acid copolyester composting 3-hydroxybutyrate/3-hydroxyvalerate copolyester sea water |
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