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Preparation of poly(l-lactide) blends and biodegradation by Lentzea waywayandensis

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Abstract

As a biodegradable polyester, polylactide (PLA) has applications as a packaging material, in biomedical fields and tissue engineering. With the dual aim of improving its properties and biodegradability, PLA was blended with other polymers such as gum arabic, thermoplastic starch, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol and polyhydroxy butyrate in 1:1 (w/w) by melt-blending technique. The thermal properties of the blends were compared with that of unblended PLA by thermo-gravimetric analysis. Biodegradation using Lentzea waywayandensis was in the order of PLA–gum arabic > PLA–thermoplastic starch > PLA(virgin) > PLA–microcrystalline cellulose > PLA–polyethylene glycol > PLA–polyhydroxy butyrate. Weight loss of 99 % (w/w) was noted within 4 days for PLA–thermoplastic starch and PLA-gum arabic blends.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi. Our acknowledgement to Prof. Dr. Toshiaki Nakajima-Kambe, University of Tsukuba, Japan for providing Plysurf required for the work as a gift.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum, 695019, Kerala, India

    Nimisha R. Nair, K. Madhavan Nampoothiri & Ashok Pandey

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  1. Nimisha R. Nair
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  2. K. Madhavan Nampoothiri
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  3. Ashok Pandey
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Correspondence to K. Madhavan Nampoothiri.

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Nair, N.R., Nampoothiri, K.M. & Pandey, A. Preparation of poly(l-lactide) blends and biodegradation by Lentzea waywayandensis . Biotechnol Lett 34, 2031–2035 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-1005-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-1005-5

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