BIODEGRADABILITY OF POLY(TETRAMETHYLENE SUCCINATE-CO-TETRAMETHYLENE ADIPATE) - I - ENZYMATIC-HYDROLYSIS

The hydrolysis of poly(tetramethylene succinate-co-tetramethylene adip ate) (PBSA) by three sorts of bacterial lipases has been investigated. Changes in the concentration of water-soluble hydrolysates by lipases were measured by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrom etry (HPLC/MS) over 96 h at pH 7.0 with a temperature of 35 degrees C. The amount and weight-average molecular weight (M-w) of the residual PBSA polymer were monitored by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) mea surements. Within 96 h, PBSA powders had been hydrolyzed completely by these lipases. The value of M-w remained unchanged during the experim ental period, suggesting that the PBSA powder was readily hydrolyzed f rom its bulk surface to give water-soluble oligomers. Most hydrolysate s were the oligomers of one or two ester-linkages (ELs). (C) 1998 Else vier Science Limited. All rights reserved.