Preparation of Polymer Microparticles Through Non-aqueous Suspension Polycondensations: Part VI—Analyses of Chemical and Enzymatic Degradation of Poly(Butylene Succinate) (PBS)

• Published in: Journal of polymers and the environment 2022-05, Vol.30 (5), p.1893-1907
• Main Authors: Dutra, Luciana, Pinto, Martina C. C., Lima, Rafael C., Franco, Mariana, Viana, Mariana, Cipolatti, Eliane Pereira, Manoel, Evelin Andrade, Freire, Denise Maria Guimarães, Pinto, José Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amylases; Cellulase; Chemical degradation; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromatography; Cutinase; Degradability; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Enzymes; Experimentation; High performance liquid chromatography; High temperature; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Lipase; Liquid chromatography; Materials Science; Microparticles; Original Paper; Polymer Sciences; Polymers; Weight loss
• ISSN: 1566-2543; 1572-8919
• DOI: 10.1007/s10924-021-02313-0

Two strategies were investigated to perform the controlled degradation of two grades of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS): the chemical and enzymatic degradation routes. PBS chemical degradation assays were carried out in alkaline and acidic media at the temperature range between 40 and 80 °C. Additionally, the effects of distinct enzymes (cutinase, lipase, cellulase, protease, and amylase) that exhibit distinct hydrolysis activities were investigated on the enzymatic degradation of PBS. Two grades of PBS were compared: PBS microparticles manufactured through suspension polycondensation (PBS1) and; commercial PBS (PBS2) manufactured in bulk processes. Polymer degradation was evaluated through high-performance liquid chromatography, gel permeation chromatography, weight loss analyses, and determination of the pH of the supernatant. It was observed that PBS1 was subject to high rates of chemical degradation at higher temperatures, especially when degradation was conducted in alkaline media. On the other hand, the analyzed operation conditions did not affect the degradability of PBS2 significantly, which fluctuated around 5% of weight loss after 4 weeks. The degradability of both polymer matrices was much more intense when enzymes were used. For PBS1, the enzyme degradation effect was significant (weight loss of 57%, 32%, 25% after 4 weeks of experimentation, using cutinase, lipase, and amylase, respectively); for PBS2, after 1 month of experimentation, the weight loss using cutinase and lipase approached respectively 100% and 81%. It can be concluded that the application of enzymes can be beneficial for the controlled degradation of PBS at mild process conditions, allowing the development of environmental-friendly strategies for the controlled degradation of this material, and that both chemical and enzymatic degradations are sensitive to the characteristics of the analyzed samples, which must be carefully considered during the process development stage.