Effects of Molecular Weights and Degree of Hydrolysis of Poly(vinyl alcohol) on its Biodegradation

A group of Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-degrading bacteria, Bacillus sp. and Curtobacterium sp., were isolated from watercourse and sewage sludge of Sichuan Vinylon Works,and a PVA-degrading bacterial culture was obtained. The effect of molecular weight and degree of hydrolysis on the biodegradation of PVA was investigated in the above culture by the spectrophotometric analysis. The results show that: the bacteria and the culture based on it can be used to study the biodegradation of PVA; a rather significant degradation within quite short incubation time was observed; the molecular weight and degree of hydrolysis of PVA appeared to be the factors of the microbial attack. The analysis of the FT-IR and ~1H-NMR spectrums of the PVA sample before and after biodegradation indicated a fission of PVA chain during the inoculation.