Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 2013 Volume 78, Issue 9, Pages: 1425-1441
https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC121216051N
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Biodegradation of starch–graft–polystyrene and starch–graft–poly(methacrylic acid) copolymers in model river water
Nikolić Vladimir (Faculty of Chemistry, Innovation center, Belgrade)
Veličković Sava (Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade)
Antonović Dušan (Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade)
Popović Aleksandar (Faculty of Chemistry, Belgrade)
In this paper the biodegradation study of grafted copolymers of polystyrene
(PS) and corn starch and poly(methacrylic acid) and corn starch in model
river water is described. These copolymers were obtained in the presence of
different amine activators. The synthesized copolymers and products of
degradation were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
(FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Biodegradation was monitored
by mass decrease and number of microorganisms by Koch’s method.
Biodegradation of both copolymers advanced with time, poly(methacrylic
acid)-graft-starch copolymers completely degraded after 21 day, and
polystyrene-graft-starch partially degraded (45.78-93.09 % of total mass)
after 27 days. Differences in the degree of biodegradation are consequences
of different structure of the samples, and there is a significant negative
correlation between the share of polystyrene in copolymer and degree of
biodegradation. The grafting degree of PS necessary to prevent biodegradation
was 54 %. Based on experimental evidence, mechanisms of both biodegradation
processes are proposed, and influence of degree of starch and synthetic
component of copolymers on degradation were established.
Keywords: graft copolymers, model river water, degradation study, statistical analysis
Projekat
Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172001 i br. 172062