Itaconic acid-engineered bioplastics of poly(lactic acid) with photohydrolyzability

The development of biobased, photohydrolytic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) copolyesters designed to combat marine plastic pollution. By incorporating photosensitive pyrrolidone structures into the PLA backbone via the aqueous-phase synthesis of pyrrolidone derivatives, such as N-(10-aminodecyl)-2-pyrrolidone-4-carboxylic acid, from itaconic acid, PLA achieves a good balance between physical performance and environmental responsiveness. In simulated seawater under UV irradiation, the mass loss of the PLA derivative with a 50% composition of pyrrolidone-containing units was 81% within 6 days, differing drastically from the stability of neat PLA. This degradation is driven by a photoinduced ring-opening mechanism of the pyrrolidone units, facilitating rapid polymer breakdown. These findings offer a scalable pathway toward sustainable plastics with “on-demand” degradability, addressing the critical challenge of plastic persistence in aquatic ecosystems. A novel biobased, photo-hydrolyzable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) copolyesters with pyrrolidone group were synthesized by using itaconic acid. These itaconic acid-modified PLAs allow the backbone to degrade rapidly in simulated seawater. Under UV light, a photoinduced reaction opens the rings and breaks down the backbone. This approach establishes an accelerated degradation pathway without compromising the thermomechanical properties.