Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant
The excessive presence of single-use plastics is rapidly degrading our natural environment on a global scale due to their inherent resistance to decomposition. Wet wipes used for personal or household purposes contribute significantly to the accumulation of plastic waste. One potential solution to a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/11/2568 |
| _version_ | 1797596826184974336 |
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| author | Natalia Stachowiak Jolanta Kowalonek Justyna Kozlowska Aleksandra Burkowska-But |
| author_facet | Natalia Stachowiak Jolanta Kowalonek Justyna Kozlowska Aleksandra Burkowska-But |
| author_sort | Natalia Stachowiak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The excessive presence of single-use plastics is rapidly degrading our natural environment on a global scale due to their inherent resistance to decomposition. Wet wipes used for personal or household purposes contribute significantly to the accumulation of plastic waste. One potential solution to address this problem involves developing eco-friendly materials that possess the ability to degrade naturally while retaining their washing capabilities. For this purpose, the beads from sodium alginate, gellan gum, and a mixture of these natural polymers containing surfactant were produced using the ionotropic gelation method. Stability studies of the beads by observing their appearance and diameter were performed after incubation in solutions of different pH values. The images showed that macroparticles were reduced in size in an acidic medium and swelled in solution of pH-neutral phosphate-buffered saline. Moreover, all the beads first swelled and then degraded in alkaline conditions. The beads based on gellan gum and combining both polymers were the least sensitive to pH changes. The compression tests revealed that the stiffness of all macroparticles decreased with the increasing pH of the solutions in which they were immersed. The studied beads were more rigid in an acidic solution than in alkaline conditions. The biodegradation of macroparticles was assessed using a respirometric method in soil and seawater. It is important to note that the macroparticles degraded more rapidly in soil than in seawater. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:58:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5519cdf357a94693a83469dba5fe9b4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:58:29Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-5519cdf357a94693a83469dba5fe9b4c2023-11-18T08:27:16ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-06-011511256810.3390/polym15112568Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing SurfactantNatalia Stachowiak0Jolanta Kowalonek1Justyna Kozlowska2Aleksandra Burkowska-But3Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina St. 7, 87-100 Torun, PolandFaculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina St. 7, 87-100 Torun, PolandFaculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Gagarina St. 7, 87-100 Torun, PolandFaculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Lwowska St. 1, 87-100 Torun, PolandThe excessive presence of single-use plastics is rapidly degrading our natural environment on a global scale due to their inherent resistance to decomposition. Wet wipes used for personal or household purposes contribute significantly to the accumulation of plastic waste. One potential solution to address this problem involves developing eco-friendly materials that possess the ability to degrade naturally while retaining their washing capabilities. For this purpose, the beads from sodium alginate, gellan gum, and a mixture of these natural polymers containing surfactant were produced using the ionotropic gelation method. Stability studies of the beads by observing their appearance and diameter were performed after incubation in solutions of different pH values. The images showed that macroparticles were reduced in size in an acidic medium and swelled in solution of pH-neutral phosphate-buffered saline. Moreover, all the beads first swelled and then degraded in alkaline conditions. The beads based on gellan gum and combining both polymers were the least sensitive to pH changes. The compression tests revealed that the stiffness of all macroparticles decreased with the increasing pH of the solutions in which they were immersed. The studied beads were more rigid in an acidic solution than in alkaline conditions. The biodegradation of macroparticles was assessed using a respirometric method in soil and seawater. It is important to note that the macroparticles degraded more rapidly in soil than in seawater.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/11/2568wet wipesbiodegradationsurfactantbeadsmechanical propertiesstability studies |
| spellingShingle | Natalia Stachowiak Jolanta Kowalonek Justyna Kozlowska Aleksandra Burkowska-But Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant Polymers wet wipes biodegradation surfactant beads mechanical properties stability studies |
| title | Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant |
| title_full | Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant |
| title_fullStr | Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant |
| title_short | Stability Studies, Biodegradation Tests, and Mechanical Properties of Sodium Alginate and Gellan Gum Beads Containing Surfactant |
| title_sort | stability studies biodegradation tests and mechanical properties of sodium alginate and gellan gum beads containing surfactant |
| topic | wet wipes biodegradation surfactant beads mechanical properties stability studies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/11/2568 |
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