Degradation of polylactide in paraffin and selected protic media

The degradation of polylactide commercial films caused by selected ingredients used in the preparation of cosmetics is reported. Despite the wide application of polylactide as a food packing material, its limitation for applications in the packaging of cosmetics is observed. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Electrospray Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) reveal that polylactide degradation occurs not only in the presence of polar solvents (ethyl alcohol, glycerine, propylene glycol) but also in the presence of paraffin. We report the applicability of this green polymeric material for cosmetic packages based on the studies of both the eroded polymer and its degradation products.