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Unread 06/10/2010, 05:51 PM   #18
aurora
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Rockville, MD
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Here's a good general article on the available biodegradable starch polymer out there. These starch polymers resins are used make our biodegradable plastics that are just starting to become more popular. They are biodegradable because bacteria can use them for fuel and degrade them over time. They are essentially chains of either Polylacticacids (PLA) or Polyhyroxybutyricacids (PHB). Simple sugars are used to make the building blocks for these polymers. The discussion of their use really doesn't belong in the chemistry forum since the process that happens in the reef environment is that the bacteria colonizing the surface of these pellets break down these long chains of carbon for fuel and in the process consume N and P from the tank. The bacteria sludge is then removed from your tank by a strong skimmer. The process is the same as when you dose other forms of long chain carbons like ethanol(vodka), sugar, or vinegar. You can buy PLA resin that comes in pellet form currently from distributors for about $2 a pound. If some of these new pellets are essentially repackaged PLA or PHA resin pellets then you are talking about a huge mark-up for essentially the same product.

http://www.mirelplastics.com/imagesu...%20(Cover).pdf



Last edited by aurora; 06/10/2010 at 05:57 PM.
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