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(Bio)degradable polymers as a potential material for food packaging: studies on the (bio)degradation process of PLA/(R,S)-PHB rigid foils under industrial composting conditions

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Abstract

The rigid foils obtained from polylactide (PLA) with synthetic poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] ((R,S)-PHB) can be used for production of food packages, which is important enhancement of biodegradable materials application. The biodegradable rigid packaging can be subjected to organic recycling together with food remains. The degradation of PLA and its blend with (R,S)-PHB as rigid foils were studied under industrial composting conditions. Incubation of these materials in water at 70 °C (hydrolytic degradation) was conducted as reference experiment. Gel permeation chromatography, electrospray mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance and differential scanning calorimetry were used to determine the progress of degradation during incubation in selected environments. The present results showed that PLA-based rigid foil degrades under industrial composting conditions. In the blends, (R,S)-PHB content was found to accelerate the degradation process under industrial composting conditions in comparison with the reference experiment. Thus, it is possible to control the degradation process by changing the composition of polymer blend.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the European Regional Development Fund, MARGEN Project No. POIG.01.03.01-00-018/08, by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme, POLINNOVA Project No. 316086 and by the National Science Centre, NCN OPUS Project No. 2012/07/B/ST5/00627, (“Low pressure catalytic synthesis of novel beta-lactone monomers and their anionic ring-opening (co)polymerisation leading to synthetic analogues of aliphatic biopolyesters”), NCN SONATA Project No. 2012/05/D/ST5/03384. The outcomes of this research were used to implement the PLASTiCE project (3CE368P1, “Innovation value chain development for sustainable plastics in central Europe”, Central Europe Programme, co-financed by ERDF). The authors would like to thank R. Malinowski of the IMPIB in Toruń, Poland, for the preparation of PLA-based rigid films.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, 34 M. Curie-Skłodowska St., 41-800, Zabrze, Poland

    Marta Musioł, Wanda Sikorska, Grażyna Adamus, Henryk Janeczek, Marek Kowalczuk & Joanna Rydz

  2. Department of Biology, Chemistry and Forensic Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna St., Wolverhampton, WV1 1SB, UK

    Marek Kowalczuk

  3. Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev St., Bl. 103A, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Joanna Rydz

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  1. Marta Musioł
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Correspondence to Marta Musioł.

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Musioł, M., Sikorska, W., Adamus, G. et al. (Bio)degradable polymers as a potential material for food packaging: studies on the (bio)degradation process of PLA/(R,S)-PHB rigid foils under industrial composting conditions. Eur Food Res Technol 242, 815–823 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-015-2611-y

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