Synonyms
Degree of biodegradation
Definition
Degradability of material to CO2 or biogas by an enzymatic process resulting from the action of biological cells.
Note: Theoretical complete biodegradability is determined based on total CO2 or biogas (CO2 and methane) emission from all carbon moieties in the test sample.
Introduction
Biodegradable plastics are important for the protection of the environment, including reduction in the levels of white pollution. White pollution is caused by the presence of used nonbiodegradable plastic products. It can be reduced if used plastic products that are disposed in natural surroundings turn biodegradable. Biodegradable plastic waste from various fields can be treated by composting or methane fermentation to produce fertilizers or renewable energy resources, for example, food packages and mulch films. After reuse, broken and contaminated food packages should be subjected to treatment processes. Biodegradable mulch film is effective for modern...
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Kunioka, M. (2015). Biodegradability. In: Kobayashi, S., Müllen, K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Polymeric Nanomaterials. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29648-2_400
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29648-2_400
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