U. Witt et al., EVALUATION OF THE BIODEGRADABILITY OF COPOLYESTERS CONTAINING AROMATIC-COMPOUNDS BY INVESTIGATIONS OF MODEL OLIGOMERS, Journal of environmental polymer degradation, 4(1), 1996, pp. 9-20
Model oligo esters of terephthalic acid with 1,2-ethanediol, 1,3-propa
nediol, and 1,4-butanediol have been investigated with regard to their
biodegradability in different biological environments. Well-character
ized oligomers with weight-average molar masses of from 600 to 2600 g/
mol exhibit biodegradation in aqueous systems, soil. and compost at 60
degrees C. SEC investigations showed a fast biological degradation of
the oligomer fraction consisting of 1 or 2 repeating units, independe
nt of the diol component used for polycondensation, while polyester ol
igomers with degrees of polymerization higher than 2 were stable again
st microbial attack at room temperature in a time frame of 2 months. A
t 60 degrees C in a compost environment chemical hydrolysis also degra
des chains longer than two repeating units, resulting in enhanced degr
adability of the oligomers. Metabolization of the monomers and the dim
ers as well by the microorganisms could be confirmed by comparing SEC
measurements and carbon balances in a ''Sturm test'' experiment. Based
on these results degradation characteristics of potential oligomer in
termediates resulting from a primary chain scission from copolyesters
consisting of aromatic and aliphatic dicarbonic acids can be predicted
depending on their composition. These results will have an evident in
fluence on the evaluation of the biodegradability of commercially inte
resting copolyesters and lead to new ways of tailor-made designing of
new biodegradable materials as well.