Environmental factors and kinetics of microbial degradation of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) in an aqueous medium
Abstract
Environmental factors such as oxygen, temperature, and microbial species may have significant effects on decomposition of biodegradable polymers. A representative biodegradable, thermoplastic polymer, poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), was decomposed in an aqueous medium under controlled laboratory conditions by soil microbes for the intrinsic degradation kinetics and the effects of the environmental factors on polymer biodegradation. The amount of proteins, including the PHBV depolymerases, that attached to the polymer surfaces was quite constant during the period of significant mass loss of the polymer specimens. The microbial polymer degradation followed a zero‐order rate model, so the residual mass fraction of PHBV films declined linearly with time. The mixed aerobic microbial organisms from fertile soil showed a higher activity of polymer degradation than an aerobic PHBV‐producing bacterium and the mixed anaerobes in the same soil. The mixed anaerobic microorganisms from barren soil decomposed the polymer at a slower rate than the anaerobes from fertile soil, and this was attributed to fewer microbial cells in the barren soil instead of the difference in the microbial species. The temperature effect on PHBV degradation can be described with an Arrhenius equation, and the activation energy is around 16 kcal/mol. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 205–213, 2003
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Mineralization of PHVB was faster in fertile soil than with isolated enzymes, owing to a more diverse population of degrading enzymes in the soil.
“For instance, the mineralization of PHVB was shown to be faster in fertile soil vs. isolated enzymes, owing to a more diverse population of degrading enzymes in the soil.484”
From Catalysis as an Enabling Science for Sustainable Polymers (2018) · cites this paper as [484]
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- Authors
- Wing Hong, L., & Yu, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
- Corresponding author
- Yu, Jian
- ORCID
- Yu, Jian
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Polymer Science
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-11-05
- Volume
- 87
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 205-213
- ISSN
- 0021-8995 (ISSN-L)
- 1097-4628
- OpenAlex
- W2115749504
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 0.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Polymer Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microbial bioremediation and biosurfactants
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Environmental Chemistry and Analysis
- Keywords
- poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), biodegradable polymers, soil microbes, degradation kinetics, zero-order kinetics, oxygen effect, temperature effects, activation energy, Arrhenius equation, anaerobic microorganisms, aerobic microorganisms, barren soil, fertile soil
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