Electrical stimulation of biodegradation of polymer packing films

Abstract

It was established that adsorptive immobilization of microorganisms on the electret polyethylene films runs faster than on the non-electret ones independently of the adsorbate polarity. Immobilization was found to occur together with the charge carrier transfer from the surface layer traps of the electret film into the structure of the microorganism cells, and neutralization of the charges during metabolism in the cells. The electric intrinsic field of the electret polyethylene films was found to intensify the vital functions of soil microorganisms and promote the accelerated growth of their colonies. The optimal surface charge density range of starch-containing polyethylene films was 4-8 nC/cm2. Named phenomena lead to the accelerated biodegradation of the polymer films. The kinetics of biodegradation of electret and non-electret polymer films by soil microorganisms was found different. Strength of the electret films decreases immediately after burial in soil, because in the competition of polymer aging and accumulation of biodamages in the film the latter process is prevailing. This is why the destruction of the electret films by soil microorganisms takes less time.