Polyurethanes (PU) are one of the most-used classes of synthetic polymers in Europe, having a considerable impact on the plastic waste management in the European Union. Therefore, they represent a major challenge for the recycling industry, which requires environmentally friendly strategies to be able to re-utilize their monomers without applying hazardous and polluting substances in the process. In this work, enzymatic hydrolysis of a polyurethane-polyester (PU-PE) copolymer using Humicola insolens cutinase (HiC) has been investigated in order to achieve decomposition at milder conditions and avoiding harsh chemicals. PU-PE films have been incubated with the enzyme at 50 C for 168 h, and hydrolysis has been followed throughout the incubation. HiC effectively hydrolysed the polymer, reducing the number average molecular weight (Mn) and the weight average molecular weight (Mw) by 84% and 42%, respectively, as shown by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), while scanning electron microscopy showed cracks at the surface of the PU-PE films as a result of enzymatic surface erosion. Furthermore, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis showed a reduction in the peaks at 1725 cm-1, 1164 cm-1 and 1139 cm-1, indicating that the enzyme preferentially hydrolysed ester bonds, as also supported by the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) results. Liquid chromatography time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (LC-MS-Tof) analysis revealed the presence in the incubation supernatant of all of the monomeric constituents of the polymer, thus suggesting that the enzyme was able to hydrolyse both the ester and the urethane bonds of the polymer.
Title: Aryl N, N-Dimethylcarbamates, Synergists for Organophosphorus Insecticides against Organophosphorus-resistant Rice Stem Borers Konno Y, Shishido T Ref: Journal of Pesticide Science, 15:175, 1990 : PubMed
One hundred noninsecticidal carbamates were synthesized and evaluated as synergists for fenitrothion and pirimiphos-methyl against the OP-resistant rice stem borer. Substituted aryl (including phenyl and heterocyclic groups) N,N-dimethylcarbamates had a synergistic activity. In substituted phenyl esters, the order of positional effectiveness of the substituent group on the benzene ring was para = meta>ortho. 3-Methyl-4-nitrophenyl (SK-2) and 3-methyl-4-methylthiophenyl (SK-9) esters were excellent synergists. In substituted heterocyclic esters, 5-phenyl-3-isoxazolyl (SK-40) and 2-dimethylamino-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl (SK-102) esters were extremely effective, and the latter reduced the resistance level against pirimiphos-methyl from 1202 to 1.1-fold. When the aryl esters of N,N-dimethylcarbamate were changed to corresponding N,N-diethyl-, N,N-dimethylthio-, and ATW-dimethylthiolcarbamates, their synergistic activities decreased from 1/18 to 1/2 that of N,N-dimethylcarbamates. Aryl esters of N-methyl- N-ethyl- and N-phenylcarbamates and aliphatic esters of N,N-dimethylcarba-mates were inactive. SK-2, -9, -40 and -102 had no synergistic activity against the susceptible strain. The synergistic mechanism of SK-102 for fenitrothion was strong inhibition of fenitroxon detoxication by binding protein and hydrolysis.
