Degradation of polyurethanes in compost under natural conditions

Abstract

The estimation of degradability of different polyurethanes under natural weather depending conditions in compost pile was the subject of this study. The incubation of polymer samples took place for a period up to 24 months. The characteristic parameters of the compost: temperature, pH, moisture content, and activity of dehydrogenases were monitored and their influence on degradation of polyurethanes was discussed. The compostability of polyurethanes was investigated by changes of weight, tensile strength, morphology, and thermal properties. The degradation study revealed that the degree of degradation of polyurethanes in the natural environment, like compost, is dependent on their chemical and structural composition. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012

Biodegradative Activities of Selected Environmental Fungi on a Polyester Polyurethane Varnish and Polyether Polyurethane Foams

“…Even though foam A presents this toxicity, C. tenuissimum A2.PP.5 was able to degrade it to some extent (25.9%), suggesting that this strain might have some resistance to the toxic effects of TDCPP. PE-PU has been consistently reported to be highly recalcitrant to biodegradation (11,13,14,(17)(18)(19). In our work, weight losses from 35 to 65% were reached when PE-PU foams were incubated in 50% PDB for 3 weeks with the six different Cladosporium strains.…”

“…This material, however, is more recalcitrant to fungal attack than PS-PU (17). Although several works have documented the degradation of solid PS-PU by fungi (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)17), scarce research on solid PE-PU biodegradation has been carried out. Early work reported that PE-PU foams were unaffected by Aspergillus niger and Cladosporium herbarum growth (18).…”

“…Early work reported that PE-PU foams were unaffected by Aspergillus niger and Cladosporium herbarum growth (18). Moreover, when incubated in compost piles (11,19) or agricultural soils (19), where fungi play an important role in degradation, samples of PE-PU turned yellow and brownish but were not physically deteriorated. The only work reporting an effective microorganism, Alternaria sp.…”

Fungal Communities Associated with the Biodegradation of Polyester Polyurethane Buried under Compost at Different Temperatures

“…Polyether PU is known to be far more recalcitrant to degradation than polyester PU is (3,44). Darby and Kaplan (7) also compared the biodegradation of polyether-and polyesterbased PU and suggested that polyether PUs are moderately to highly resistant to fungal attack than polyester PUs because of the presence of high-molecular-weight branched polyol chains.…”

“…Polyurethanes are formed by the condensation of polyisocyanate and polyols and are heteropolymers (3). Seven percent of the total plastics manufactured in Europe (47 Mtonnes) in 2011 were polyurethanes (4).…”