Degradation of Cellulose Acetate-Based Materials: A Review

Abstract

Cellulose acetate polymer is used to make a variety of consumer products including textiles, plastic films, and cigarette filters. A review of degradation mechanisms, and the possible approaches to diminish the environmental persistence of these materials, will clarify the current and potential degradation rates of these products after disposal. Various studies have been conducted on the biodegradability of cellulose acetate, but no review has been compiled which includes biological, chemical, and photo chemical degradation mechanisms. Cellulose acetate is prepared by acetylating cellulose, the most abundant natural polymer. Cellulose is readily biodegraded by organisms that utilize cellulase enzymes, but due to the additional acetyl groups cellulose acetate requires the presence of esterases for the first step in biodegradation. Once partial deacetylation has been accomplished either by enzymes, or by partial chemical hydrolysis, the polymer's cellulose backbone is readily biodegraded. Cellulose acetate is photo chemically degraded by UV wavelengths shorter than 280 nm, but has limited photo degradability in sunlight due to the lack of chromophores for absorbing ultraviolet light. Photo degradability can be significantly enhanced by the addition of titanium dioxide, which is used as a whitening agent in many consumer products. Photo degradation with TiO 2 causes surface pitting, thus increasing a material's surface area which enhances biodegradation. The combination of both photo and biodegradation allows a synergy that enhances the overall degradation rate. The physical design of a consumer product can also facilitate enhanced degradation rate, since rates are highly influenced by the exposure to environmental conditions. The patent literature contains an abundance of ideas for designing consumer products that are less persistent in the outdoors environment, and this review will include insights into enhanced degradability designs.

An Evaluation of Osmotic Technique Under Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation Exposure

“…However, previous researches have shown that, cellulose acetate based materials were found to degrade underUV exposure at different wavelengths (i.e. 275-390 nm) in the presence of photo sensitizers and oxidation catalysts [17]. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore the effect of UVGI exposure within this context.…”

“…bacteria and fungi) exist in both naturally occurring and commercially available bentonites [8] [5]. The biodegradation of cellulose acetate based material by soil microbes has been studied for a long time by number of authors [16] [17]. It is anticipated that, these microbes were responsible for the degradation of the membrane.…”

The Age of Plastic: Ingenuity and Responsibility, Proceeding of the 2012 MCI Symposium

“…3 In the ensuing decades other polymers, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), became more common for injection molding, although cellulose acetate, propionate, and butyrate esters have remained polymers of choice for certain items like eyeglass frames, screwdriver handles, and playing dice (Rustemeyer, 2004). Nearly 1.8 billion pounds of cellulose acetate were produced globally in 2008 and were destined for filter tow, textile threads, films, and molded plastic objects (Puls et al, 2010). Today, the polymer has the potential to increase its popularity as a renewable, plant-derived plastic that can be biodegraded under the right conditions (Puls et al, 2010;Laird, 2013;Solvay, 2013).…”

“…Nearly 1.8 billion pounds of cellulose acetate were produced globally in 2008 and were destined for filter tow, textile threads, films, and molded plastic objects (Puls et al, 2010). Today, the polymer has the potential to increase its popularity as a renewable, plant-derived plastic that can be biodegraded under the right conditions (Puls et al, 2010;Laird, 2013;Solvay, 2013).…”

Influence of Additives on Cigarette Related Health Risks

“…It has no active function in cigarette smoke filtration; the titanium dioxide pigments are primarily used as delustering and whitening agent in the cellulose acetate fibers. As a photo-catalyst the pigments are also responsible for the photochemical degradation of the filter fibers (66). Activated carbon is another filter component influencing the composition of cigarette mainstream smoke.…”