Journal
BIOMACROMOLECULES
Volume 21, Issue 8, Pages 3301-3307Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00759
Keywords
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Funding
- Japan Society of the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan [19H00908]
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [19H00908] Funding Source: KAKEN
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Non-biodegradable microplastics have become a global problem. We propose a new enzyme-embedded biodegrad-able plastic that can be self-biodegraded anytime and anywhere. Proteinase K from Tritirachium album was embedded in poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA). The PLLA solution-cast film with embedded proteinase K showed weight loss of 78% after 96 h incubation. In addition, PLLA extruded films embedding immobilized proteinase K encapsulated in polyacrylamide were produced at 200 degrees C and embedded-enzyme degradation was monitored. Immobilized proteinase K embedded in the extruded film maintained its degradation activity and degraded the PLLA film from inside to make small holes and cavities, suggesting that immobilization is a powerful technique to prepare thermoforms with embedded enzymes. The rate of embedded-enzyme degradation was accelerated by dividing the film into smaller pieces, which can be regarded as a model experiment for biodegradation of microplastics. Various biodegradable plastics with specific embedded enzymes will contribute to solve global environmental problems.
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