Microbial Degradation of UV-Pretreated Low-Density Polyethylene Films by Novel Polyethylene-Degrading Bacteria Isolated from Plastic-Dump Soil

Eleven effective low-density polyethylene (LDPE)-degrading bacterial strains were isolated and identified from landfill soil containing large amounts of plastic materials. The isolates belonged to 8 genera, and included Pseudomonas (areroginosa and putida), Sphingobacterium (moltivorum), Delftia (tsuruhatansis), Stentrophomonas (humi and maltophilia), Ochrobacterum (oryzeae and humi), Micrococcus (luteus), Acinetobacter (pitti), and Citrobacter (amalonaticus). Abiotic degradation of LDPE films by artificial and natural ultraviolet (UV)-exposure was analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy. LDPE films treated with UV-radiation were also inoculated with the isolates and biofilm production and LDPE degradation were measured. Surface changes to the LDPE induced by bacterial biofilm formation were visualized by Scanning Electron Microscopy. The most active bacterial isolate, IRN19, was able to degrade polyethylene film by 26.8?±?3.04% gravimetric weight over 4 weeks. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequence of this isolate revealed 96.97% similarity in sequence to Acinetobacter pitti, which has not previously been identified as a polyethylene-degrading bacterium. Also, most the effective biofilm forming isolate, IRN11, displayed the highest cell mass production (6.29?±?0.06 log cfu/cm²) after growth on LDPE films, showed 98.74% similarity to Sphingobacterium moltivourum.     

Biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by isolated fungi in solid waste medium

In this study, biodegradation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) by isolated landfill-source fungi was evaluated in a controlled solid waste medium. The fungi, including Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus terreus and Fusarium solani, were isolated from samples taken from an aerobic aged municipal landfill in Tehran. These fungi could degrade LDPE via the formation of a biofilm in a submerged medium. In the sterilized solid waste medium, LPDE films were buried for 100 days in a 1-L flask containing 400 g sterile solid waste raw materials at 28 °C. Each fungus was added to a separate flask. The moisture content and pH of the media were maintained at the optimal levels for each fungus. Photo-oxidation (25 days under UV-irradiation) was used as a pretreatment of the LDPE samples. The progress of the process was monitored by measurement of total organic carbon (TOC), pH, temperature and moisture. The results obtained from monitoring the process using isolated fungi under sterile conditions indicate that these fungi are able to grow in solid waste medium. The results of FT-IR and SEM analyses show that A. terreus and A. fumigatus, despite the availability of other organic carbon of materials, could utilize LDPE as carbon source. While there has been much research in the field of LDPE biodegradation under solid conditions, this is the first report of degradation of LDPE by A. fumigatus.     

Temperature Effects on Soil Mineralization of Polylactic Acid Plastic in Laboratory Respirometers

A respirometric system was used to analyze the biodegradation of high molecular weight (120,000 to 200,000 g mol^–1) polylactic acid (PLA) plastic films in soil under laboratory conditions. The respirometric system consisted of air-conditioning pretraps, a soil reactor, and a carbon dioxide (CO₂) posttrap. A 200-g homogeneous soil mixture of all-purpose potting soil : manure soil : sand [1 : 1 : 1 (w/w)] and 1.5 g of PLA plastic films in 1 × 1-cm² squares was added to each bottle. The respirometers were placed in a 28, 40, or 55°C water bath for 182 days. Treatments (three replicates) included native corn starch (positive control), polyethylene (Glad Cling Wrap; negative control), and three PLA films: Ca-I (Cargill Dow Polymers LLC, monolayer), GII (Cargill Dow Polymers LLC, Generation II), and Ch-I (Chronopol; monolayer). The degree of polymer mineralization was indicated by the cumulative CO₂ liberated from each respirometer. The initial average mineralization rate and total percentage mineralized of the PLA plastic films at 28, 40, and 55°C was 24.3, 41.5, and 76.9 mg/day with a 27, 45, and 70% carbon loss, respectively. No decrease in soil pH was observed after 182 days of mineralization. Hence, increase in soil temperature drastically enhanced the biodegradation of PLA plastic films in soil under laboratory conditions (P < 0.0001).     

Comparative Biodegradation Studies of Non-poronized and Poronized LDPE Using Indigenous Microbial Consortium

Seventeen bacterial isolates were screened for the utilization of low density polyethylene (LDPE) as the sole carbon source, out of which five potential strains were selected for the development of a consortium. In vitro biodegradation efficiency of the consortium was studied for two differently textured forms of LDPE viz. non-poronized and poronized. Although, both the forms were acted-upon well by the consortium, but the degradation was found to be better in the poronized form. This was substantiated by λ-max shift, FTIR spectra and simultaneous TG-DTG-DTA. The analysis revealed the breakage and formation of chemical bonds in the polymer backbone, as a result of microbial activity. The biodegraded samples of non-poronized and poronized LDPE exhibited similar weight losses at 400 °C (24.12% and 24.48%, respectively) as compared to their controls (4% and 4.5% respectively), but the latter could achieve it with greater ease as reveled by its lower heat of reactions (ΔH values). The study signifies the influence of poronization of polyethylene on its rate of biodegradation.     

Degradation of Polyethylene Designed for Agricultural Purposes

For many years now, scientific articles have been published on the potential biodegradability of polyethylene. Polyethylene (PE) with peroxidant additives, in the form of agricultural films, is sold by various suppliers as biodegradable mulch. Even though, the photo-chemical and thermal degradation of these products under artificial laboratory conditions is highlighted, several extrapolation on the biodegradation and, moreover, on the neutral environmental impact of PE are made. In this study, three different commercial mulch films have been submitted to standardised biodegradation tests and the results are discussed. The first conclusions are that a very low degree of biodegradation of the commercial PE films is achieved from these tests and that crosslinked PE micro-fragments are found in soil after a very long period of time.     

Biodegradable kinetics of plastics under controlled composting conditions

This study models and evaluates the kinetics of C-CO₂ evolution during biodegradation of plastic materials including Polyethylene (PE), PE/starch blend (PE/starch), microcrystalline cellulose (MCE), and Polylactic acid (PLA). The aerobic biodegradation under controlled composting conditions was monitorated according to ISO 14855-1, 2004. The kinetics model was based on first order reaction in series with a flat lag phase. A non-linear regression technique was used to analyze the experimental data. SEM studies of the morphology of the samples before and after biodegradation testing were used to confirm the biodegradability of plastics and the accuracy of the model. The work showed that MCE and PLA produced the high amounts of C-CO₂ evolution, which gave readily hydrolysable carbon values of 55.49% and 40.17%, respectively with readily hydrolysis rates of 0.338 day⁻¹ and 0.025 day⁻¹, respectively. Whereas, a lower amount of C-CO₂ evolution was found in PE/starch, which had a high concentration of moderately hydrolysable carbon of 97.74% and a moderate hydrolysis rate of 0.00098 day⁻¹. The mineralization rate of PLA was 0.500 day⁻¹ as a lag phase was observed at the beginning of the biodegradability test. No lag phase was observed in the biodegradability testing of the PE/starch and MCE. The mineralization rates of the PE/starch and MCE were found to be 1.000 day⁻¹, and 1.234 day⁻¹, respectively. No C-CO₂ evolution was observed during biodegradability testing of PE, which was used for reference as a non-biodegradable plastics sample.     

Biosynthesis and Characterization of Poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) from Bacillus cereus S10

The biodegradable and biocompatible copolymer poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-5 mol% 3-hydroxyvalerate), poly-(3HB-co-5 mol% 3HV), was synthesized by Bacillus cereus S10 and the highest yield was determined as 69.91 % at pH 7 and 30 °C after 48 h of incubation using a glucose as the sole carbon source. Poly-(3HB-co-5 mol% 3HV) was purified from bacterial biomass using chloroform. FTIR analysis showed absorption bands at 1,723, 1,274, 1,373, 1,453, 2,932 cm^?1 corresponding to C=O, C–O stretching, CH₃, –CH₂ and –CH groups, respectively. ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR analysis confirmed that the copolymer was composed of 95 mol% of 3-hydroxybutrate and 5 mol% of 3-HV monomeric units. Poly-(3-HB-co-5 mol% 3HV) was used for nanoparticles preparation. The diameter of nanoparticles was 202 nm.     

Effect of Oxidized Starch on Morphology,Rheological and Tensile Properties of Low-Density Polyethylene/Linear Low-Density Polyethylene/Thermoplastic Oxidized Starch Blends

In this work, morphology, rheological and tensile properties of low-density polyethylene/linear low-density polyethylene/thermoplastic oxidized starch (LDPE/LLDPE/TPOS) blends are studied. The blends of LDPE/LLDPE (70/30, w/w) containing 0–20 wt% TPOS in the presence of 3 wt% of PE-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as a compatibilizer are prepared by a twin screw extruder and then converted to appropriate thin films using an extrusion film blowing machine. Scanning electron microscopic images show that there is a relative good dispersion of oxidized starch particles in PE matrices. However, as TPOS content in the blends increases, the starch particle size increases too. The rheological analyses indicate that TPOS can decrease the elasticity and viscosity of the blends. The LDPE/LLDPE/TPOS blends show power-law behavior and as the TPOS content increases the power-law exponent (n) and consistency index (K) decrease. The ultimate tensile strength and elongation at break of the final blend films reduce, when TPOS content increases from 5 to 20 wt%. However, the required mechanical properties for packaging applications are achieved when 10 wt% oxidized starch is added, according to ASTM D4635.     

Transfer of Graphene CVD to Surface of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) Films: Effect on Biodegradation Process

Here, the influence of graphene as a coating on the biodegradation process for two different polymers is investigated, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) (biodegradable) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (non-biodegradable). Chemical vapor deposition graphene was transferred to the surface of two types of polymers using the Direct Dry Transfer technique. Polymer films, coated and uncoated with graphene, were buried in a maturated soil for up to 180 days. The films were analyzed before and after exposure to microorganisms in order to obtain information about the integrity of the graphene (Raman Spectroscopy), the biodegradation mechanism of the polymer (molecular weight and loss of weight), and surface changes of the films (atomic force microscopy and contact angle). The results prove that the graphene coating acted as a material to control the biodegradation process the PBAT underwent, while the LDPE covered by graphene only had changes in the surface properties of the film due to the accumulation of solid particles. Polymer films coated with graphene may allow the production of a material that can control the microbiological degradation, opening new possibilities in biodegradable polymer packaging. Regarding the possibility of graphene functionalization, the coating can also be selective for specific microorganisms attached to the surface.     

Characterization of wood plastic composites made from landfill-derived plastic and sawdust: Volatile compounds and olfactometric analysis

Application of wood plastic composites (WPCs) obtained from recycled materials initially intended for landfill is usually limited by their composition, mainly focused on release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which could affect quality or human safety. The study of the VOCs released by a material is a requirement for new composite materials. Characterization and quantification of VOCs of several WPC produced with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate (PE/EVA) films and sawdust were carried out, in each stage of production, by solid phase microextraction in headspace mode (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). An odor profile was also obtained by HS-SPME and GC–MS coupled with olfactometry analysis. More than 140 compounds were observed in the raw materials and WPC samples. Some quantified compounds were considered WPC markers such as furfural, 2-methoxyphenol, N-methylphthalimide and 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol. Hexanoic acid, acetic acid, 2-methoxyphenol, acetylfuran, diacetyl, and aldehydes were the most important odorants. None of the VOCs were found to affect human safety for use of the WPC.     

Recovery of polypropylene and polyethylene from packaging plastic wastes without contamination of chlorinated plastic films by the combination process of wet gravity separation and ozonation

Wet gravity separation technique has been regularly practiced to separate the polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) (light plastic films) from chlorinated plastic films (CP films) (heavy plastic films). The CP films including poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and poly vinylidene chloride (PVDC) would float in water even though its density is more than 1.0 g/cm³. This is because films are twisted in which air is sometimes entrapped inside the twisted CP films in real existing recycling plant. The present research improves the current process in separating the PP and PE from plastic packaging waste (PPW), by reducing entrapped air and by increasing the hydrophilicity of the CP films surface with ozonation. The present research also measures the hydrophilicity of the CP films.In ozonation process mixing of artificial films up to 10 min reduces the contact angle from 78° to 62°, and also increases the hydrophilicity of CP films. The previous studies also performed show that the artificial PVDC films easily settle down by the same. The effect of ozonation after the wet gravity separation on light PPW films obtained from an actual PPW recycling plant was also evaluated. Although actual light PPW films contained 1.3% of CP films however in present case all the CP films were removed from the PPW films as a settled fraction in the combination process of ozonation and wet gravity separation. The combination process of ozonation and wet gravity separation is the more beneficial process in recovering of high purity PP and PE films from the PPW films.     

Evaluation of Biodegradable Films Made of Waste Mycelium and Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) on the Yield of Pak-Choi

Novel biodegradable films were prepared via blending of poly (vinyl alcohol) and waste mycelium from sauce residue and citric acid fermentation residue, respectively. The performance of these two types of films when used as alternative covers for pak-choi growth under semi-arid climatic conditions was evaluated via field test towards their abilities for water retention and biodegradation, together with the impact on the yield and nutritional quality of pak-choi. Experimental results showed that the use of these films could result in 50% higher water retention than a blank control film after 96-h treatment at 40?°C. Films were biodegraded within 14?weeks under natural conditions, leading to a significant mineralization, progressively releasing over 56% of K⁺, NO₃ ^?, Mg²⁺ and organics, beneficial for plant growth as fertilizer. The yield of pak-choi was increased by 80% in weight when using these films compared with the unmulched control. Compared to those treated with traditional LDPE mulching film, the average contents of chlorophyll, crude protein and soluble sugar in pak-choi were increased by 52.9, 7.2, 80.7% (blends of sauce residue) and 26.7, 11.4, 10.8% (blends of citric acid fermentation residue), respectively.     

Thermal,Rheological, Mechanical and Morphological Behavior of High Density Polyethylene and Carboxymethyl Cellulose Blend

In this study water soluble sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was blended with high density polyethylene (HDPE) by peroxide-initiated melt compounding technique. The compatibility of the blended polymers were carried out by silane crosslinking agent. A series of blends were prepared by varying the CMC contents up to a maximum of 50 phr. The physical properties of non-crosslinked and crosslinked blends were investigated in detail. FTIR analysis of crosslinked blend confirmed the presence of Si–O–Si and Si–O–C absorption peaks at 1050 and 1159 cm^?1. Thermal stability of crosslinked blends improved as compared to its non-crosslinked congener. Rheological study of crosslinked blends illustrated high complex viscosity and dynamic shear storage modulus. The tensile strength of virgin polyethylene was 8.1 MPa whereas the maximum tensile strength of 19.6 MPa was observed in crosslinked blend. Similarly lower deformation was observed in crosslinked blends under static load. Scanning electron microscopy of crosslinked formulations also showed strong adhesion between the polymers interface. The compatibility of HDPE and CMC is attributed to both free radical and condensation reactions.     

Diffusion coefficients of organics in high density polyethylene (HDPE)

Only limited data are available on the diffusion of volatile organic solvents through flexible membrane liners (FMLs) used for lining impoundments and landfills. To expand this database, a rapid, inexpensive method is needed to measure the diffusion coefficients of volatile organic solvents through FML materials. An absorption method has been developed to determine the diffusion coefficients of volatile organic solvents through FML materials. The method is based on the depletion of an organic compound from an aqueous solution due to absorption by a submerged sample of FML. A numerical solution of Fick's second law of diffusion was used to develop a graph which can be used to determine the diffusion coefficient from the time dependent concentration data. The diffusion coefficients obtained from the absorption tests were validated by comparing them with coefficients determined using a two chamber diffusion cell. The diffusion coefficients determined for toluene and xylene in high density polyethylene (HDPE) were 5.1 × 10⁻⁹ cm²s⁻¹ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ cm²s⁻¹ by the two methods, respectively. The data indicate that the coefficient of distribution (K_d) between the FML and the organic solution, a value which is needed to calculate the diffusion coefficient from the data, can be estimated from the log of the octanol-water partition coefficient (K_ow), a commonly measured and reported value for many chemicals.     

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) as an effective means to isolate degradation products in polymers

A new sample preparation technique, solid phase microextraction (SPME), was compared with direct headspace-GC-MS with respect to the type and amount of identified compounds. Three types of LDPE films containing photosensitising additives according to the Scott-Gilead patents and pure LDPE were used as model substances. The polyethylene films were thermally aged at 80‡C after the induction period was surpassed by subjecting the materials to 100 h of UV radiation. The new SPME method was developed using nonpolar poly(dimethylsiloxane) and polar carbowax fibers to extract the low molecular weight products formed in the polyethylene films during aging. Many more products were identified after SPME followed by GC-MS than after direct headspace-GC-MS of the samples. The SPME method allowed the identification of homologous series of carboxylic acids, ketones, and furanones, while direct headspace-GC-MS identified only a few carboxylic acids (C1-C6) and small amounts of some ketones and furanones. In general, SPME was more effective in extracting less volatile products, and in particular, the polar carbowax fiber identified also C7-C12 carboxylic acids and 4-oxopentanoic acid. By SEC and FTIR we confirmed that the number and amount of former degradation products correlated well with the decrease in molecular weights and the amount of formed carbonyl compounds.     

Anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste: Thermophilic vs. mesophilic performance at high solids

High solids anaerobic digestion of the mechanically sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions is reported. The semi-dry thermophilic process has a gas production rate two to three times the mesophilic process and nearly complete biodegradation. A 3 m³ stirred digester, feeding organic waste at 16–23% solids, was operated at hydraulic (volumetric) retention times decreasing from 15-8 days, and at organic loading rates increasing from 6 to 14 kg volatile solids m⁻³ day⁻¹. An economic evaluation favours the thermophilic over the mesophilic process.     

Bioremediation potential of Brevibacillus parabrevis AMB-CD-2 in spinach under lead toxicity

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of lead toxicity on the growth parameters of spinach and the performance of lead-resistant bacterial isolates under lead stress conditions. Out of four bacterial isolates selected for this study, only two isolates AMB-CD-2 and AMB-CD-4 were selected based on their lead tolerance ability. A polybag experiment was conducted with six treatments and four replications in spinach. The treatments included T₁ (RDF + control), T₂ (lead acetate), T₃ (AMB-CD-2 + lead), T₄ (AMB-CD-4 + lead), T₅ (AMB-CD-2), and T₆ (AMB-CD-4). Results showed that lead contamination significantly decreased plant growth parameters, particularly in the treatment T₂ (lead acetate) when compared with other treatments. Similarly, reduced uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) was recorded in T₂. Inoculation with lead-resistant bacteria, AMB-CD-2, significantly improved plant growth parameters (plant height, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, root dry weight, shoot dry weight, and root length). The uptake of NPK was higher in T₅ (AMB-CD-2) in the absence of lead by approximately 0.81%, 0.37%, and 0.42% than in the control, respectively. Through atomic absorption spectrophotometer analysis, the lead concentration in treatment T₂ (control) was about 3.20 mg/g while in treatment T₃ (AMB-CD-2 + lead) it was about 1.32 ppm. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that AMB-CD-2 resembles Brevibacillus parabrevis. The results demonstrate that the lead-resistant bacteria B. parabrevis AMB-CD-2 showed a significant lead reduction of approximately 58.75% compared to the control.     

The influence of soil macroinvertebrates on primary biodegradation of starch-containing polyethylene films

The primary biodegradability of polyethylene (PE) films containing different percentages of cornstarch (0–50%) and other additives (prooxidant, oxidized polyethylene) was tested using four species of earthworms (Eisenia fetida, Lumbricus terrestris, Aporectodea trapezoides, Aporectodea tuberculata), three species of cockroaches (Periplaneta americana, Blaberus sp.,Blattella germanica), termites (Reticulotermes flavipes), sowbugs (Porcellio laevis), and crickets (Acheta domesticus). These studies were conducted to elucidate the potential role of soil macroinvertebrates in degrading starch/PE biodegradable plastics. The results of the macroinvertebrate bioassays indicate that crickets, cockroaches, and sowbugs consumed starch-containing PE films most readily. In addition, the degree to which the films were attacked and consumed was directly related to the starch content of the film. Films with oxidized polyethylene and those containing prooxidant (vegetable oil and a transition metal catalyst) were also consumed. None of the four species of earthworms tested or the termites showed any activity toward the starch/polyethylene films. These results have important implications for determining the fate of novel plastic formulations which claim to be biodegradable in natural environments. Studies such as these, coupled with studies on microbial degradation, will help provide the type of information needed to assess the environmental fate of biodegradable starch/PE plastics and fill the voids in the scientific database regarding this rapidly developing field.     

The Effects of Additives on the Biodegradation of Polycaprolactone Composites

Because environmental pollution caused by plastic waste is a major problem investigations concerning biodegradable packaging are important and required. In this study, the biodegradation of PCL composite films with organic (glycerol monooleate and oleic acid) and inorganic additives (organo nano clay) was investigated to understand which additive and the amount of additive was more effective for biodegradation. The relationship between the degree of crystallinity and the effect of additives on the biodegradability of polycaprolactone (PCL) was examined. PCL composite films were prepared using organo nano clay (0.1–0.4–1–3 wt%) and oleic acid (1–3–5 wt%) or GMO (1–3–5 wt%). The 35 films prepared with PCL (P), clay (C), oleic acid (O), or glycerol monooleate (G) are coded as P_C#wt%_O (or G)#wt%. The composite films, P_C0.4_O5 contains 0.4 wt% clay and 5 wt% oleic acid and the P_C3_G1 contains 3 wt% clay and 1 wt% glycerol monooleate. The biodegradation of PCL films in simulated soil was studied for 36 months. The films were periodically removed from the simulated soil and film thicknesses, weight losses, visual changes, crystal structures, and a functional group analyses were performed. PCL composite films are separated into three groups, depending on degradation time, (1) films that degraded before 8 months (fast degradation), (2) films that degraded around 24 months (similar to neat PCL), and (3) films that take longer to degrade (slow degradation). The films in the first group are PCL films with 1 and 3 wt% clay additive and they begin to biodegrade at the 5th month. However, a composite film of PCL with only 0.4 wt% clay and 5 wt% GMO addition has the shortest degradation time and degraded in 5 months. The films in the last group are; P_G3, P_G5, P_C0.1, P_C0.1_O1, and P_C0.1_O5 and they took around 30 months for biodegradation. It was observed that increasing the organo nanoclay additive increases the biodegradability by disrupting the crystal structure and causing a defective crystal formation. The addition of GMO with organo nano clay also accelerates biodegradation. The addition of organo nano clay in an amount as small as 0.1 wt% acts as the nucleating agent, increases the degree of crystallinity of the PCL composites, and slows the biodegradation period by increasing the time.     

Biodegradation of Epoxy and MF Modified Polyurethane Films Derived from a Sustainable Resource

Mesua ferrea L. seed oil (MFLSO) modified polyurethanes blends with epoxy and melamine formaldehyde (MF) resins have been studied for biodegradation with two techniques, namely microbial degradation (broth culture technique) and natural soil burial degradation. In the former technique, rate of increase in bacterial growth in polymer matrix was monitored for 12 days via a visible spectrophotometer at the wavelength of 600 nm using McFarland turbidity as the standard. The soil burial method was performed using three different soils under ambient conditions over a period of 6 months to correlate with natural degradation. Microorganism attack after the soil burial biodegradation of 180 days was realized by the measurement of loss of weight and mechanical properties. Biodegradation of the films was also evidenced by SEM, TGA and FTIR spectroscopic studies. The loss in intensity of the bands at ca. 1735 cm⁻¹ and ca. 1050 cm⁻¹ for ester linkages indicates biodegradation of the blends through degradation of ester group. Both microbial and soil burial studies showed polyurethane/epoxy blends to be more biodegradable than polyurethane/MF blends. Further almost one step degradation in TG analysis suggests degradation for both the blends to occur by breakage of ester links. The biodegradation of the blends were further confirmed by SEM analyses. The study reveals that the modified MFLSO based polyurethane blends deserve the potential to be applicable as “green binders” for polymer composite and surface coating applications.