Question

1. what type of polymer would you obtain if sorbital (a sugar alcohol found in sugar free gum) was used as a plasticizer addictive?

2a. Starch-borate and starch-glycerol polymers have been used for encapsulation of pharmaceutical drugs or pesticides. Explain what effect ths might have and why it would be beneficial.

2b. Are these polymers considered to be biodegradable? why or why not?

Answer 1

1. If sorbitol, a naturally occuring sugar alcohol founf in sugar free gum is used as plasticizer additive in a polymer, the resultant polymer can be termed as biodegradable. The natural component would help in easy degradation of the end product If and when needed.

2. Startch is not degradable inside the body by any enzyme and hence are excreted by nirmal mechanism. Thus when startch-borate and startch-glycerol polymers are used for the encapsulation of drugs, the ressultant drug would deliver the drug component in the body and the filler materials would be excreted from the body by usual mechanism.

3. These polymers are considered biodegradable as they tend to degrade by itself over time.