Biodegradation of polyethylene foils by bacterial and liver homogenates.

The evaluation of structural changes of single linear and bifurcated polyethylene foils exposed to bacterial and liver homogenates was carried out by infrared spectrography, along with observations of changes of mechanical properties. Cell homogenates were fractionated by centrifugation and by coagulating the microsomal fraction using Ca2+ ions. Stimulation as well as inhibition of the presumed enzyme system were studied in bacterial cultures and liver homogenates of experiment animals. Results suggest that oxidation structures in polyethylene, after exposure to these cell homogenates, are caused by the monooxygenase hydroxylation system of the bacterial or liver cells.