Carbon chain polymers, abiotic degradation

Scott G (1995) Introduction to the abiotic degradation of carbon chain polymers. In Scott G, Gilead D (eds) Degradable polymers principles and applications. Chapman 8c... 

Introduction to the abiotic degradation of carbon chain polymers... 

A good deal is now known about the kinetics of abiotic peroxidation and stabilisation of carbon-chain polymers and it is possible in principle to extrapolate to the time for ultimate oxidation from laboratory experiments. As already indicated, the key determinant of the time to bioassimilation is the antioxidant and if this is chosen to optimize the service life, bioassimilation can also be achieved as in the case of wood, straw, twigs, etc. It seems that straw is a particularly appropriate model for the biodegradation of the polyolefins since, like the polyolefins, it fully bioassimilated in biologically active soil over a period of about ten years. The most important conclusion from recent work is that nature does not depend on just one degradation mechanism. Abiotically initiated peroxidation is just as important, at least initially as biooxidation. 

The above discussion allows us to conclude that the bioassimilation of synthetic carbon-chain polymers has much in common with that of their natural analogues (notably natural rubber, resins and lignin). In all cases, nature uses abiotic oxidation chemistry together with biotic chemistry, very often together. The degradation products formed by oxo-biodegradation are of benefit to the agricultural environment as biomass and ultimately in the form of humus. 

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