title: Anaerobic degradation of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate.
abstract: The anaerobic degradation of the polyesters poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) was investigated with special regard to intermediate products, kinetics, and yields. During the degradation of PHBV acetate, propionate, n-butyrate, and n-valerate were detected. Additionally, 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate and four dimeric esters of these two molecules were identified by GC-MS measurements. Three different test systems for the anaerobic degradation of polyesters were studied. It was not possible to get reproducible results by means of the Anaerobic Sturm-test, a simple system based on carbon dioxide measurement. Secondly, a system based on the GC measurement of accumulated organic acids was investigated. A degradation of 90% in two days was calculated by a carbon balance. Best results were reached with the third test system based on the measurement of methane with a gas meter. A degradation of 99% was observed within 30 days.
authors.affiliation: Sugar Institute, Institut für Technologie der Kohlenhydrate, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reischwitz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoppok
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Buchholz
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011091:Polyesters / Q000378:metabolism*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003470:Culture Media; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D008697:Methane; D011091:Polyesters; C052620:poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-(3-hydroxyvalerate); D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate