Poly microbiological degradation

Figure 18. Microbiological degradation of poly(ethylencdiamme tetra-acetic acid-co-lactose) based on Colony Forming Units (CFU) as a function of the cultivation time.

Urethanes are not high temperature polymers. Continuous service applications at more than about 100°C are not recommended. They are subject to hydrolysis other materials should be considered in applications which involve long-term continuous immersion in water. They undergo autoxidation on thermal or ultraviolet activation. Poly(ester-urethanes) are subject to microbiological degradation. 

Inclusion of an effective fungicide in poly(ester-urethanes) prevents their degradation by microbiological action. Effective agents of this type include copper-8-quinolinolate and A -(trichloromethylthio) phthalimide (Tungitrol 11 —Nuodex). Poly(ether-urethanes) resist microbiological degradation. 

Pranamuda, H., Tokiwa, Y. Tanaka, H. (1995). Microbial degradation of an aliphatic polyester with a high-melting point, poly(tetramethylene succinate). Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 61, 1828-32. 

Uchida, H., Kambe, T. N., Akutsu, Y. S. et al. (2000). Properties of a bacterium which degrades solid poly(tetramethylene succinate)-co-adipate, a biodegradable plastic. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 189, 25-9. 

K. Kimura, L.S. Tran, 1. Uchida, Y. Itoh, Characterization of Bacillus subtilis gamma-glutamyltransferase and its involvement in the degradation of capsule poly-gamma-glutamate. Microbiology 150 (2004) 4115-4123. 

Khan, S.T., Horiba, Y., Yamamoto, M., Hiraishi, A., 2002. Members of the family Comamo-nadaceae as primary poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)-degrading denitrifiers in activated sludge as revealed by a polyphasic approach. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 68 (7), 3206—3214. 

Bouwer EJ (1992) Bioremediation of organic contaminants in the subsurface. In Mitchell R (ed) Environmental microbiology. Wiley, New York, pp 319—333 Brandi H, Gross RA, Lenz RW, Fuller RC (1988) Pseudomonas oleovorans as a source of poly(P-hydroxyalkanoates) for potential application as biodegradable polyesters. Appl Environ Microbiol 54 1977—1982 Breslin VT (1993) Degradation of starch-plastic composites in a munidpal solid waste landfiU. J Environ Polym Degr 1 127—141... 

Budwill, K., Fedoiak, P. M. and Page, W. J. Methanogenic Degradation of Poly(3-Hydroxyalkanoates). Applied Environmental Microbiology. 58 1398-1401 (1992). 

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