Oil Biodegradation Systems Based on γ Irradiated Poly (Butylene Succinate)

Abstract

The risks of environmental damage are inherent in oil activities, being a constant concern to our modern society. Among the remediation strategies, the biological one is safer and more inexpensive compared to physic‐chemicals approaches. Bioremediation can be enhanced using biodegradable polymers as coating materials of the nutrient release systems. However, some of these polymers can be improved using electromagnetic radiation, able to modify their properties, such as, molar mass, changing the materials physicochemical behavior. Thus, immobilizing urea in poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) matrix, producing a petroleum bioremediation tool was the primary goal in the paper herein. The composites were obtained by melting at 110 °C with subsequent application of gamma (γ) radiation at doses of 15, 25, 50, and 75 kGy. The obtained results allowed to infer that the increase of the γ radiation doses improved the immobilization, thus reducing the immediate urea release. Besides that, the preliminary biodegradation results showed that the highest rates of hydrocarbon reduction at the end of the analysis period were reached using the material irradiated at 25 kGy. These results are encouraging and proved that irradiated PBS‐urea systems could be used as oil spill disasters tool.