Comparison of Release Efficiencies for the Controlled-Release of Potassium Permanganate in Polycaprolactone

The application of controlled release materials in tandem with chemical oxidants has become an emerging topic within the field of environmental treatment. The controlled release kinetic and mechanistic relationship between these components is important to understand a controlled release system. Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was used as the encapsulated material integrated into polycaprolactone (PCL) producing controlled release biodegradable polymer (CRBP) pellets. In this study, batch experiments were used to examine the release kinetics from the discharge of the pelletized encapsulated oxidant into aqueous systems at various KMnO4:PCL ratios of 1:5, 2:5, and 3:5 by mass. Experimental results indicated as the amount of KMnO4 in the PCL polymer pellets increased, a greater fraction of the oxidant was released as a function of time. The resultant data best fit a linearized diffusion model equation. Additionally, a comparison-controlled release study was conducted that contained the same oxidant at similar mass ratios. Release kinetics determined from this study could lead to effective implementation of CRBP systems and could suggest that CRBP encapsulated with KMnO4 could serve as a promising controlled release technology in a long-term and controlled manner.