Microbial Degradation of Poly (sodium acrylate)

Abstract

Poly (sodium acrylate)-utilizing microorganisms, L7-A and L7-B, were first isolated from soil. When L7-A and L7-B were used in a mixture and cultured with a 0. 2% poly (sodium acrylate) nutrient source, polymers having average M_w of 1000, 1500, and 4000 were degraded to extents of 73%, 49%, and 20%, respectively, in 2 weeks. The biodegradability of poly (sodium acrylate) of high molecular weight after UV irradiation was also examined.