Switchable Biodegradation: Development of an Enzyme-Accelerated Biodegradation System for Lignin-Polymer Alloys

The marketplace adoption of bioplastics over petroleum-based plastics is gaining pace andpopularity in part from increased regulation but also as a result of grassroots efforts and emergingcorporate sustainability environmental and human health concerns. Within this material subsetexists bio-based biodegradable plastics. These materials are often used in agricultural applicationssuch as plastic mulch film plant containers seed trays and many small items like vine clips andtwine. While the promise of biodegradable bioplastics are a massive benefit in these areas theyare plagued by high costs - generally 2-3x their petroleum counterparts and inconsistentbiodegradation windows. This proposal seeks to address these two issues by demonstrating anenzyme-enhanced microbial biodegradation system that can be used to accelerate and furthercontrol this window. When applied in conjunction with our biodegradable lignin-polymer alloyexisting consumers will be able to acquire these plastic items at a cost much closer to that ofexisting petroleum-based products while eliminating disposal costs and concerns over lack ofperformance in current biodegradable polymer systems. Over $12.5 billion in agricultural plasticsopportunity exists as farms and nurseries across the country are highly interested in newbiodegradable plastic solutions in the field that have tunable switchable biodegradation.