Study on the biodegradability and biodegradation mechanism of polyaspartic acid

The biodegradability of polyaspartic acid(PASP) was studied systematically by the shaking-bottle incubating test.The relation between concentrations,molecular weight,raw materials and the biodegradability of PASP were studied.The degradation rate of NO.4 day reached 100% when the inoculum's concentration was 10 mg/L and the PASP's was 50 mg/L.The PASP which molecular weight was 9 700 had the best biodegradability,that was 82.1% on NO.4 day.The PASP obtained from ammonium salt B was the most easily degradable,the degradation rate of NO.20 day reached 100%.Simultaneously,the NH3-N values were determinated,the results showed that the sample solutions were up to the effluent quality standard.In addition,the polymer was characterized with IR.The degradation mechanism was also discussed.It's held that the biodegradation of PASP was the cooperative action result of biophysics degradation and biochemistry degradation.