This paper presents basic methods of starch chemical modification, the effect of microwave radiation on the modification process, and the physicochemical properties of starch. It has been shown that the modifications contribute to improvement of the material performance and likewise to significant improvement of its mechanical properties. As a result, more and more extensive use of starch is possible in various industries. In addition, methods of oxidized starch and starch esters preparation are discussed. Properties of microwave radiation and its impact on starch (with particular regard to modifications described in literature) are characterized.

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17Application of new biodegradable polymer packaging based on polylactide (PLA), susceptible 18 to organic recycling, can help in the waste reduction in landfills. In this paper, the results of 19 the study on abiotic degradation of PLA and its blend containing 15 mol% of poly[(R,S)-3-20 hydroxybutyrate], as a model for the first step of organic recycling were presented. The 21 samples used for this study have different shapes and thicknesses: rigid films and cuboid-bars. 22Particular emphasis was placed on determining the pattern of degradation products released 23 into the medium. Originally, the results of present study revealed that the application of 24 electrospray ionization mass spectrometry supported by high performance liquid 25 2 chromatography allowed envisaging the differences in the degradation products pattern 26 released from the studied PLA-based samples differing in thickness. The significant 27 differences in degradation products pattern were predominately observed in the first steps of 28 incubation process and are caused by an autocatalytic effect, which occurs mainly during 29 degradation of the large size PLA samples. Although, the thickness of PLA-based packaging 30 changes the degradation product patterns, however this does not increase the total amounts of 31 acids released to the medium. Thus, it may be concluded that thickness should not affect 32 significantly organic recycling of the packaging. 33 34

Ferrocene-derived aminophosphonates showed their various ecotoxicological impact on terrestrial higher plants, freshwater ostracods and marine bacteria.