ABSTRACT
Concerns over entrapment and ingestion hazards associated with persistent plastics in the environment have spurred research in developing materials which can function like plastics during storage and use, yet are broken down into nontoxic by-products if disposed in the environment. Many approaches have been taken to commercially produce either biodegradable or photodegradable plastics [1]. One approach involves the incorporation of starch into blends with synthetically pro duced polymers which are made to be susceptible to biological, chemical, or UV breakdown. Alternatively, fermentation has been used to convert sugars or waste biomass into polyesters such as polyhydroxybutyrate/valerate or lactic acid for polylactic acid production which have been shown to be biodegradable and/or hydrolyzable. Limitations in producing and commercializing these biodegradable formulations are production costs, which can be 2-10 times higher than commodity plastics such as polystyrene or polyethylene, and lack of biodegradation and toxicity test standards for intended disposal environments.
