ISSN:
1572-8900
Keywords:
Poly([R,S] β-hydroxybutyrate)
;
Alcaligenes faecalis T1
;
trimethyl aluminum
;
β-butyrolactone
;
enzymatic degradation
;
depolymerase
;
biodegradable
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
Notes:
Abstract The synthetic analogue of a bacterially produced polyester, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was synthesized from racemic β-butyrolactone using anin situ trimethyl aluminum-water catalyst. The polymer was fractionated into samples differing in molecular weight and isotactic diad content. The latter was closely related to degree of crystallinity. The biodegradation of these fractions were examined by monitoring mass loss over time in the presence of anAlcaligenes faecalis T1 extracellular bacterial poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase. The fraction with high isotactic diad tacticity content showed little or no degradation over a 50 hour incubation period, whereas the fraction of intermediate isotactic diad content degraded in a continuous steady fashion at a rate that was less than that for bacterial PHB. The low isotactic diad fraction underwent a rapid initial degradation, followed by no further mass loss. The presence of stereoblocks in the polymer structure of the various fractions was an influence on the degree of susceptibility towards degradation and is related to sample crystallinity.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01418201
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