Biodegradation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biodegradation is the chemical breakdown of materials by a physiological environment. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management and environmental remediation (bioremediation). Organic material can be degraded aerobically with oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen. A term related to biodegradation is biomineralisation, in which organic matter is converted into minerals. Biosurfactant, an extracellular surfactant secreted by microorganisms, enhances the biodegradation process.

Biodegradable matter is generally organic material such as plant and animal matter and other substances originating from living organisms, or artificial materials that are similar enough to plant and animal matter to be put to use by microorganisms. Some microorganisms have the astonishing, naturally occurring, microbial catabolic diversity to degrade, transform or accumulate a huge range of compounds including hydrocarbons (e.g. oil), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceutical substances, radionuclides and metals. Major methodological breakthroughs in microbial biodegradation have enabled detailed genomic, metagenomic, proteomic, bioinformatic and other high-throughput analyses of environmentally relevant microorganisms providing unprecedented insights into key biodegradative pathways and the ability of microorganisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions.^[1]

Contents 1 Plastics 2 See also 3 External links 4 References

[edit] Plastics

Biodegradable plastics . There are other plastic materials that claim biodegradability, but are more often (and possibly more accurately) described as 'degradable' or oxo-degradable; It is claimed that this process causes more rapid breakdown of the plastic materials into CO₂ and H₂O.

There are newer biodegradable plastic technologies on the market today which do encourage microbial biodegradation. This is achieved by adding back into the polymer organic compounds which will attract microorganisms when placed into a microbial environment.

[edit] See also

• Anaerobic digestion
• Biodegradability prediction
• Biodegradable polythene film
• Bioplastic - biodegradable, bio-based plastics
• Bioremediation
• Decomposition – reduction of the body of a formerly living organism into simpler forms of matter
• Landfill gas monitoring
• List of environment topics
• Microbial biodegradation

[edit] External links

• The European Bioplastics Association Information on Bioplastics and Biodegradable Polymers, Market Information
• Facts and hazards of non-biodegradables Some more information about plastic bags and the hazards they pose to wildlife
• Slate Explainer article on biodegradation: "Will My Plastic Bag Still Be Here in 2507?"
• Landfills and Biodegradable Products
• Biodegradable Products Institute

[edit] References

1. ^ Diaz E (editor). (2008). Microbial Biodegradation: Genomics and Molecular Biology (1st ed.). Caister Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-904455-17-2. http://www.horizonpress.com/biod.