Synthesis of Emulsion Polymers Based on Polyvinyl Acetate and ᴅ-Glucose and Evaluation of Their Biodegradability
Keywords:
polyvinyl acetate, ᴅ-glucose, latex, biological degradabilityAbstract
The paper deals with the synthesis of aqueous polymer dispersions based on polyvinyl acetate and ᴅ-glucose by emulsion polymerization and with the evaluation of the aerobic biodegradability of the prepared polymers in waste water by means of biochemical oxygen demand for 5 days (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The resulting BOD5 to COD ratio was used to evaluate the biodegradability rate which was shown to be significantly superior to conventional polyvinyl alcohol. Using FTIR, the covalent attachment of ᴅ-glucose molecules to the polymeric chain has been confirmed. These latexes can be used in the field of controlled release fertilizer encapsulation or as ecological paper adhesives with subsequent biological degradation.