Biodegradability of cellulose fabric modified by imidazolidinone

The influence of modifying cellulose by imidazolidinone on its biodegradability was studied using the soil burial test and enzymatic hydrolysis. The degree of biodegradation was determined on the basis of scanning electron micrographs, tensile strength, degree of polymerization, polymer solubility measurements, and infrared spectroscopic analyses (FT-IR). The results show that the incorporation of 1,3-dimethyl-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea into the structure of cellulose highly decreased the biodegradability of cellulose macromolecules. This was confirmed by the smaller morphological changes, lower decrease of breaking strength and lower polymer solubility determined for the modified cellulose. FT-IR spectra analysis also revealed that during the biodegradation period much greater structural damage was caused in the case of unmodified than of modified cellulose, and that the intensity of the bands at 1640 and 1548 belonging to the Amides I and II bonds resulting from the presence of protein produced by microbial growth.