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Biodegradation of synthetic polymers by composting and fungal treatment

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Abstract

Two types of copolymers — poly(ester-amide)s — by the anionic copolymerization of ɛ-caprolactam and ɛ-caprolactone, and aromatic-aliphatic copolyesters based on glycolyzed polyethylene terephthalate from used beverage bottles and ɛ-caprolactone were prepared. Biodegradation tests of these copolymers were performed by two methods,viz. composting under controlled conditions and treatment with ligninolytic fungi. Both methods resulted in degradation of the copolymers, composting being more robust. Out of fungal strains testedInonotus hispidus degraded aromatic-aliphatic copolyesters most intensively.

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Abbreviations

CLA:

ε-caprolactam

CLO:

ε-caprolactone

ETP:

ethylene terephthalate

GPC:

gel permeation chromatography

PETP:

poly(ethylene-terephthalate)

SEM:

scanning electron microscopy

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 142 20, Pracgae, Czechia

    V. Šašek

  2. Department of Polymers, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28, Prague, Czechia

    J. Vitásek, D. Chromcová, I. Prokopová & J. Brožek

  3. Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, 166 28, Prague, Czechia

    J. Náhlík

Authors
  1. V. Šašek
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  2. J. Vitásek
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  3. D. Chromcová
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  4. I. Prokopová
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  5. J. Brožek
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  6. J. Náhlík
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. Šašek.

Additional information

The work was supported byGrant Agency of the Czech Republic (grant no. 203/03/0508) and also by research program of theMinistry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (MŠM 604 613 7302) andInstitutional Research Project of theInstitute of Microbiology (AV 0Z 5020 0510).

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Šašek, V., Vitásek, J., Chromcová, D. et al. Biodegradation of synthetic polymers by composting and fungal treatment. Folia Microbiol 51, 425–430 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931586

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02931586

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