Abstract
As one of a series of studies concerning the relationship between the higher-order structure and the biodegradability of a biodegradable plastic, the effects of the crystal structure of the plastic on microbial degradation were investigated. Bacterial poly(d-(−)-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) films which had a wide range of crystallinity were prepared by the melt-quenching method. Results of the microbial degradation indicated that the development of crystallinity evidently depressed the microbial degradability. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, it is suggested that the microbial degradation proceeded in at least two manners. One was preferential degradation of the amorphous region leaving the crystalline lamellae intact, which was considered to be a homogeneous enzymatic degradation over the surface. The other was nonpreferential spherical degradation on the surface. The SEMs indicate that the spherical holes were the result of colonization by degrading bacteria. The holes varied in size and number with the change of crystal structure. Therefore, it is considered that the crystal structure of PHB also influenced the physiological behavior of the degrading bacteria on the PHB surface.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
W. J. Cook, J. A. Cameron, J. P. Bell, and S. J. Huang (1981)J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Lett. Ed. 19 159–165.
C. V. Benedict, W. J. Cook, P. Jarrett, J. A. Cameron, S. J. Huang, and J. P. Bell (1983)J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 28 327–334.
P. Jarrett, C. V. Benedict, J. P. Bell, J. A. Cameron, and S. J. Huang (1984) in S. W. Shalaby, A. S. Hoffman, B. D. Ratner, and T. A. Horbett (Eds.),Polymers as Biomaterials, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 181–192.
R. Alper, D. G. Lundgren, R. H. Marchessault, and W. A. Cote (1963)Biopolymers 1 545–556.
J. Cornibert and R. H. Marchessault (1972)J. Mol. Biol. 71 735–756.
M. Yokouchi, Y. Chatani, H. Tadokoro, K. Teranishi, and H. Tani (1973)Polymer 14 267–272.
R. H. Marchessault, S. Coulombe, H. Morikawa, K. Okamura, and J. F. Revol (1981)Can. J. Chem. 59 38–44.
P. J. Barham, A. Keller, E. L. Otun, and P. A. Holmes (1984)J. Mater. Sci. 19 2781–2794.
P. J. Barham (1984)J. Mater. Sci. 19 3826–3834.
P. J. Barham and A. Keller (1986)J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 24 69–77.
M. Scandola, M. Pizzoli, G. Ceccorulli, A. Cesaro, S. Paoletti, and L. Navarini (1988)Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 10 373–377.
J. M. Merrick and M. Doudoroff (1964)J. Bacteriol. 88(1), 60–71.
F. P. Dclaficld, M. Doudoroff, N. J. Palleroni, C. J. Lusty, and R. Contopoulos (1965)J. Bacteriol. 90(5), 1455–1466.
C. J. Lusty and M. Doudoroff (1966)Biochemistry 56 960–965.
H. Tanaka, K. Tonomura, and A. Kamibayashi (1976)Nippon Nougeikagaku Kaishi 50(9), 431–436.
T. Tanio, T. Fukui, Y. Shirakura, T. Saito, K. Tomita, T. Kaiho, and S. Masamune (1982)Eur. J. Biochem. 124 71–77.
K. Nakayama, T. Saito, T. Fukui, Y. Shirakura, and K. Tomita (1985)Biochim. Biophys. Acta 827 63–72.
Y. Shirakura, T. Fukui, T. Saito, Y. Okamoto, T. Narikawa, K. Koide, K. Tomita, T. Takemasa, and S. Masamune (1986)Biochim. Biophys. Acta 880 46–53.
T. Fukui, T. Narikawa, K. Miwa, Y. Shirakura, T. Saito, and K. Tomita (1988)Biochim. Biophys. Acta 952 164–171.
D. F. Gilmore, R. C. Fuller, and R. Lenz (1990) in S. A. Barenberg, J. L. Brash, R. Narayan, and A. E. Redpath (Eds.),Degradable Materials, CRC Press, Florida, pp. 481–514.
P. H. Janssen and C. G. Harfoot (1990)Arch. Microbiol. 154 253–259.
J. M. Merrick, D. G. Lundgren, and R. M. Pfister (1965)J. Bacteriol. 89(1), 234–239.
Y. Kawaguchi and Y. Doi (1990)FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 70 151–156.
S. J. Holland, A. M. Jolly, M. Yasin, and B. J. Tighe (1987)Biomaterials 8 289–295.
M. Kunioka, A. Tamaki, and Y. Doi (1989)Macromolecules 22 694–697.
Y. Doi, Y. Kanesawa, and M. Kunioka (1990)Macromolecules 23 26–31.
H. Nishida and Y. Tokiwa,J. Appl. Polym. Sci. (submitted).
S. Akita, Y. Einaga, Y. Miyaki, and H. Fujita (1976)Macromolecules 9(5), 774–780.
Y. Tsunoda, I. Aishima, and K. Katayama (1959)Kobunsi Kagaku 16(172), 491–494.
N. Grassie, E. J. Murray, and P. A. Holmes (1984)Poly. Deg. Stab. 6 95–103.
Y. Doi, Y. Kanesawa, Y. Kawaguchi, and M. Kunioka (1989)Makromol. Chem., Rapid Commun. 10 227–230.
C. E. Zobell (1943)J. Bacteriol. 46 39–56.
R. Hattori, T. Hattori, and C. Furusaka (1972)J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol. 18 271–283.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nishida, H., Tokiwa, Y. Effects of higher-order structure of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) on its biodegradation. II. Effects of crystal structure on microbial degradation. J Environ Polym Degr 1, 65–80 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01457654
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01457654