Spectroscopic characterization and microbial degradation of engineered bio-elastomers from linseed oil

The microbial degradation of elastomers synthesized through the cationic polymerization reaction of linseed oil, styrene, and divinylbenzene was investigated by using the Alkaliphilus oremlandii OhILAs strain. In Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, the bound oil content in the elastomers was found to vary from 29.63 to 45.5 wt%, whereas the percentage of unreacted oil in the elastomers were in the range of 12.9-38 wt%. In ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum analysis, the unreacted oil and unreacted aromatic components in the elastomers were obtained in the ranges of 13.2-39 wt% and 6.8-16 wt%, respectively. The amount of unreacted oil in the elastomers enhanced the percentage of biodegradation, which varied from 26 to 51 wt%. The biodegradation of elastomers was also confirmed by FTIR and scanning electron micrograph analyses.