Evaluation of the Biodegradability Potential of Antibacterial Poly(lactic acid)/Glycero-(9,10-trioxolane)-trialeate Films in Soil

Glycerol-(9,10-trioxolane) trioleate (OTOA) is a promising material that combines good plasticizing properties for PLA with profound antimicrobial activity, which makes it suitable for application in state-of-the-art biomedical and packaging materials with added functionality. In this study, the biodegradation kinetics of PLA + OTOA mixed films under soil conditions was assessed over 180 days. Structural and morphological changes that occurred on the surface and in the volume of the films during degradation were scrutinized using DSC, X-ray diffraction, IR, and UV spectroscopy. Morphological changes were assessed using optical and confocal microscopes. The different behavior of the PLA + OTOA blend films during decomposition in soil is explained by their structure and the rate of release of antibacterial OTOA from the PLA matrix. The decomposition rate constants were determined for all films, where kd for PLA samples is 28 µm·year−1, for samples containing 10% and 30% OTOA kd is 2 µm·year−1, and for PLA + 50% OTOA samples kd = 34 µm·year−1. This is explained by changes in the structure and degree of crystallinity of materials during the process of aging in the soil. These results clarify the biodegradation processes of biomaterials containing antibacterial agents in their structure.