Modeling and analysis of biodegradation of xenobiotic polymers based on experimental results

An endogenous depolymerization model based on uniform weight distribution is introduced. The time dependent model with temporal dependent degradation rate is reduced to a time independent model. The previously developed techniques were applied to an inverse problem to determine the degradation rate. The transition of weight distribution was simulated by solving an initial value problem. Those techniques are applied to degradation processes of polylactic acid. They are applicable to other polymers subject to endogenous depolymerization processes. See http://anziamj.austms.org.au/ojs/index.php/ANZIAMJ/article/view/361 for this article, c © Austral. Mathematical Soc. 2008. Published March 23, 2008. ISSN 1446-8735