Degradable fishing lines and nets

Abstract

The disclosure provides embodiments of environmentally acceptable fishing lines or fishing nets. Embodiments of the disclosed fishing line or net may comprise a degradable polymer having components derived from i) biomass sources, ii) protein, fatty acid or lipid sources, iii) microbial-based monomers and polymers, iv) agro-based monomers and polymers, v) sugar or starch based monomers and polymers, or combinations thereof, as well as fishing lines and net that further comprise an additive having components derived from i) polyol sources, ii) citrate sources, iii) fatty acid sources, iv) biomass oil sources, or combinations thereof. Some of the embodiments of the disclosed fishing lines or nets may have a suitable fiber core, while other embodiments of the disclosed fishing lines or nets are degradable over a predetermined period of time. The disclosed embodiments are preferred because of the low environmental impact of the disclosed fishing lines or nets when compared to, for example, well known synthetic polymer fishing lines or nets.

What is embodied and claimed is: 
     
         1 . A degradable composition for fishing lines or fishing nets comprising a degradable polymer. 
     
     
         2 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  wherein the degradable polymer comprises components derived from i) biomass sources, ii) protein, fatty acid or lipid sources, iii) microbial-based monomers and polymers, iv) agro-based monomers and polymers, v) sugar or starch-based monomers and polymers, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The degradable composition of  claim 2  wherein the degradable polymer comprises a polylactide, a polybutylene succinate, a polybutylene succinate adipate, a poly lactic acid, a polyhydroxyalkanoate, a polyhydroxy butyrate, a poly(butylene adipate-co-terephalate), a poly alginate, a polyglycolide, a polyhydroxyalkaonate, a polysaccharide, a starch, a protein, a fatty acid, a lipid, a lignin, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The degradable composition of  claim 2  wherein the degradable polymer comprises a cellulosic polymer selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellular butyrate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  further comprising an additive. 
     
     
         6 . The degradable composition of  claim 5  wherein the additive comprises components derived from polyol sources, citrate sources, fatty acid sources, biomass oil sources, vegetable oils, non-vegetable plant oils, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The degradable composition of  claim 5  wherein the additive comprises components derived from biomass oil sources, or combinations of biomass oil sources. 
     
     
         8 . The degradable composition of  claim 5  wherein the additive comprises components derived from vegetable oils, non-vegetable plant oils, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The degradable composition of  claim 5  wherein the additive comprises components derived coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, canola oil, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, sorghum oil, wheat germ oil, isosorbide, isosorbide esters, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  wherein the degradable polymer comprises components from renewable materials, and wherein the additive comprises components that are degradable or components from renewable materials, or both components that are degradable and from renewable materials. 
     
     
         11 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  further comprising a natural fiber core. 
     
     
         12 . The degradable composition of  claim 11  wherein the natural fiber core comprises cotton, jute, hemp, silk, bamboo, linen, flax, wool, sisal, lignin, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The degradable composition of  claim 11  wherein the natural fiber core comprises hemp. 
     
     
         14 . A degradable composition for a fishing line or fishing net consisting essential of i) a renewable and degradable polymer, ii) a renewable and degradable additive, and iii) a natural fiber core. 
     
     
         15 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  wherein the fishing line or fishing net consists essential of i) renewable and degradable polymer, ii) renewable and degradable additive, and iii) minor components generally recognized and used to manufacture or produce fishing lines or fishing nets. 
     
     
         16 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  wherein a degradation process comprises a microbial-based process, an oxidation-based process, an ultraviolet light-based process, a free radical-based process, a thermal-based process, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The degradable composition of  claim 16  wherein the degradation process comprises a microbial-based process. 
     
     
         18 . The degradable composition of  claim 16  wherein degradation provides essentially nontoxic and environmentally safe products. 
     
     
         19 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  wherein degradation is substantially faster than conventional materials used in fishing lines or fishing nets. 
     
     
         20 . The degradable composition of  claim 1  manufactured using one or more processes selected from group consisting of spraying, extruding, co-extruding, coating, submersing, laminating, extrusion coating, extruding over a core, or combinations thereof.