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Rapid Degradation of Superabsorbent Poly(Potassium Acrylate) and its Acrylamide Copolymer Via Thermo-Oxidation by Hydrogen Peroxide

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Abstract

Superabsorbent poly(potassium acrylate) (P(KA)) and poly[acrylamide-co-(potassium acrylate)] (P(Am-co-KA)) were synthesized and their effective degradation via chemical and biological processes were pursued. Significant reductions in dry mass and water absorbency were observed after P(KA) (53% and 54%, respectively) and P(Am-co-KA) (43% and 40%, respectively) were buried in the soil for ten weeks, indicating their partial biodegradation. Although the living fungal culture failed to degrade the polymers, digestion by its crude peroxidase (20 U/g, 16 h) significantly decreased the dry mass (15%; 15.0 ± 0.3 g) and water absorbency (13%; 16.0 ± 1.0 g/g) of P(KA). Chemical oxidation using H2O2 at high temperature with/without peroxidase efficiently liquidized both polymers specifying significant changes of their structures. The maximum degradation of P(KA) (99.84% weight loss) was obtained when incubated with 12.8% (v/w) H2O2 at 65 °C for 7.3 h while 98.43% weight loss was achieved after P(Am-co-KA) was incubated with 14.8% (v/w) H2O2 at 68 °C for 9.2 h. To assess the phytotoxicity of the degraded products, their effect on seed germination was determined. No significant inhibition was observed in mung bean germinating on both the untreated polymers and their oxidized products. On sweet corn, the degraded products were apparently less inhibitory than did the untreated polymers. These results suggested that the rapid and efficient degradation of polyacrylate and its copolymer by the thermo-oxidation of H2O2 could be applied for a larger scale of superabsorbent waste management.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Distinguished Professor Grant from Thailand Research Fund (DPG6080001 for Suda Kiatkamjornwong), and Sci-Super VI fund from the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University (63-005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Biomass Utilization Research Unit, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Wichanee Bankeeree, Chalermkwan Samathayanon, Sehanat Prasongsuk & Pongtharin Lotrakul

  2. Office of Research Affairs, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Suda Kiatkamjornwong

  3. FRS(T), The Academy of Science, The Royal Society of Thailand, Sanam Suebpa, Dusit, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand

    Suda Kiatkamjornwong

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  4. Pongtharin Lotrakul
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Contributions

W.B. designed and performed the experiments with assistance of C.S. whereas S.P. and P.L. were involved in planning and supervised the work. S.K. conceived the original idea, supervised, reviewed and edited the manuscript, and research fund provider. This manuscript was written and approved through contributions of all authors and they all contributed equally.

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Correspondence to Sehanat Prasongsuk.

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Bankeeree, W., Samathayanon, C., Prasongsuk, S. et al. Rapid Degradation of Superabsorbent Poly(Potassium Acrylate) and its Acrylamide Copolymer Via Thermo-Oxidation by Hydrogen Peroxide. J Polym Environ 29, 3964–3976 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-021-02167-6

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