Journal of Bioremediation & Biodegradation

Abstrait

Synthesis of Transition Metal 12 Hydroxy Oleate and their Effect on Photo and Biodegradation of Low Density Polyethylene Films

Anniyyappa Umapathi Santhoskumar, Komaragounder Palanivelu, ShailadraKumar Sharma and Sanjay Kumar Nayak

A new additive Ferrous (Fe) and Nickel (Ni)12-hydroxy oleate was successfully synthesized and their performance on the photo degradability of polyethylene (LDPE) films were evaluated by observing the disparity in the structural characteristic, surface morphology, mechanical, and thermal properties upon degradation. LDPE films blended with different compositions (1, 3 & 5 wt %) of Fe and Ni 12-hydroxyl oleate were prepared by melt blending. Degraded films were subjected to Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Universal Testing Machine, Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis to investigate its structural, morphological, mechanical and thermal properties respectively. The influence of low molecular weight organic compounds such as Fe 12-hydroxyl oleate and Ni 12-hydroxyl oleate additives on photo transformation of LDPE has been investigated. The results indicate that the additives play a vital role to accelerate and increase the efficiency of photodegradation in LDPE films but the hamper of photo cross linking and formation of the carbonyl group following of the Norrish type1 in this polymer. In this case Fe 12-hydroxyl oleate showed greater activity as photo initiator when compared to Ni 12-hydroxyl oleate and also the comparison of photo degraded films were subjected to biodegradation in the presence of the microbes such as Aspergillus niger and Pencillium funiculosum isolated from a dump. Fragments occur progressively in the biodegradation of the photodegradaded films. Moreover, the biodegradation test results reveals that the Fe 12-hydroxyl oleate shows 21% and Ni 12-hydroxyl oleate shows 19% of biodegradation on photodegraded LDPE films when observed at the end of 45 days.