Fatty acid esters, biodegradable

Sorbitol is the most important higher polyol used in direct esterification of fatty acids. Esters of sorbitans and sorbitans modified with ethylene oxide are extensively used as surface-active agents. Interesteritication of fatty acid methyl esters with sucrose yields biodegradable detergents, and with starch yields thermoplastic polymers (36). 

In a continuous model river test system it can be shown that after passage through a sewage treatment plant ester sulfonates have no significant influence on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the biocenosis of a receiving water [113]. All the investigations into the environmental fate of a-sulfo fatty acid esters demonstrate that aquatic toxicity is alleviated by their fast ultimate biodegradability, which allows them to be classified as environmentally compatible. 

Fatty Acid Esters. Defoamers that are more environmentally acceptable than convential products are based on fatty acid esters of hydroxy alcohols, such as sorbitan monooleate [1908] or sorbitan monolaurate in combination with diethylene glycol monobutyl ether as a cosolvent [451]. These defoamer compositions are as effective as conventional materials, for example, those based on acetylenic alcohols are less toxic, especially to marine organisms, and are readily biodegradable. The defoamer compositions are used in water-based hydrocarbon well fluids during oil/gas well drilling, completion, and workover, especially in marine conditions. 

The long-chain, fatty acid esters of sucrose are non-ionic, nontoxic, and biodegradable, and compare well in overall performance with other surface-active compounds in detergency, emulsification, and... 

Fatty acid esters of sugars are also very important biodegradable and biocompatible surfactants that are prepared either by transesterification of methyl ester with sugar on basic catalysts or by esterification of fatty acids with sugar on acidic catalysts. Liquid acids and bases have been replaced by enzymatic catalysis with lipase, giving a higher yield of monoester [43, 44], but solid catalysts have not been used extensively so far. 

Apart from being used as bio-diesel , fatty acid esters, which are obtained from fatty acids and alcohols, are becoming increasingly interesting as biodegradable replacements for mineral oils. In some application areas such as chain-saw oil, gearbox oils, hydraulic oils and lubricants for crude oil production these oleochemical products have already proved themselves. 

Current developments refer to the use of specially designed fatty acid esters in a wide range of applications as biodegradable lubricants. Meanwhile, environmentally friendly alternatives are available for almost all mineral oil-based products. In Europe, the long-term potential is estimated to be 10-20% of the total market (500000-1000000 tonnes year-1, Table 4.4) [15b], In 1997, 40000 tonnes... 

I. J. A. Baker, B. Matthews, H. Suares, I. Krodkiewska, D. N. Furlong, and C. J. Drummond, Sugar fatty acid ester surfactants Structure and ultimate aerobic biodegradability, J. Surfactants Deterg., 3 (2000) 1—11. 

Dextran fatty acid ester MW DS Film formation Water solubility Biodegradability (CMT)... 

Finally, an elegant example of a product derived from renewable raw materials is the bioemulsifier, marketed by Mitsubishi, which consists of a mixture of sucrose fatty acid esters. The product is prepared from two renewable raw materials - sucrose and a fatty acid - and is biodegradable. In the current process the reaction is catalysed by a mineral acid, which leads to a rather complex mixture of mono- and di-esters. Hence, a more selective enzymatic esterification (Fig. 1.43) would have obvious benefits. Lipase-catalysed acylation is possible [126] but reaction rates are very low. This is mainly owing to the fact that the reaction, for thermodynamic reasons, cannot be performed in water. On the other hand, sucrose is sparingly soluble in most organic solvents, thus necessitating a slurry process. 

Miladinov et al. reported the preparation of starch-fatty acid esters by reactive extrusion of plasticized starch and acid anhydrides (acetic, propionic, heptanoic and palmitic anhydrides) in the presence of sodium hydroxide as a catalyst [87]. Starch esters have been prepared by REX using maleic anhydride (MA) as a cyclic dibasic acid anhydride in the presence of 20 wt% glycerol as plasticizer. This material was melt-blended with biodegradable polyester. 

An improvement in terms of flexibility for PLA may widen its application as a biodegradable packaging and film material. The addition of plasticizers has been investigated lately in order to improve the fragility and increase the elongation of break or elasticity of PLA. Previous researchers have shown that addition of plasticizers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), glucosemonoesters and partial fatty acid esters had successfully overcome the brittleness and widen PLA s application [2, 7, 8]. 

A copol5m er that contains epoxy groups can be added to form biodegradable blends (51). It is preferable to use such copolymers based on styrene, acrylate, or methacrylate. In general, the compounds have two or more epoxy groups in the molecule. Further, glycidyl acrylate and glycidyl methacrylate or epoxidized fatty acid esters are suitable. 

Bikiaris D, Aburto J, Alric I et al (1999) Mechanical properties and biodegradability of LDPE blends with fatty-acid esters of amylase and starch. J Appl Polym Sci 71 1089-1100... 

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