Biodegradation of Green Polymeric Composites Materials

Development of Bio-Based and Biodegradable Plastics

“…Biodegradation of materials is a chemical degradation process catalyzed by microorganisms in a natural environment involving alterations in chemical structure, which results in loss of mechanical and structural characteristics of deteriorating materials [105]. Biodegradation of polymers yields metabolic products such as water, CO 2 , methane, and biomass [106]. Biodegradation of polymers can be further understood as the deterioration of the physical and chemical properties of a material, which results in a reduction in its molecular weight and production of by-products [105].…”

Life Cycle of Functional All-Green Biocompatible Fibrous Materials Based on Biodegradable Polyhydroxybutyrate and Hemin: Synthesis, Service Life, and the End-of-Life via Biodegradation

“…At present, a vast diversity of biodegradable polymers is available worldwide, and the most popular are polylactide, polyhydroxybutyrates, and polycaprolactone. Key benefits of biodegradable polymers are concerned with their safety and environmental friendliness: generally, they are produced from renewable green sources and can be successfully handled biologically at the end of their lives via biodegradation, being consumed by microorganisms and converted to H 2 O, CO 2 , and methane. , The use of bioplastic end mass can efficiently reduce the hazardous impact on the environment and diminish the consumption of petroleum resources, as they are limited and contribute to global warming. The most beneficial practical applications of bioplastics where they can successfully replace traditional nondegradable polymers are packaging materials (plastic bags and fresh keeping membranes), bioresorbable materials in health care as biomedical materials (tissue engineering, gene therapy, drug delivery, stent covering, surgical suture, etc.…”

“…Among a big family of bioplastics, bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) occupy one of the leading positions, providing a carbon/energy store for more than 300 species of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as a wide range of archaea. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) has become the most widespread representative of this family due to its availability, sustainable production, high biodegradability, biocompatibility, thermal stability (in a broad temperature interval from 0 to 120 °C), and good mechanical properties comparable to those of conventional synthetic polymers. , This polymer was first synthesized by French bacteriologist Lemoigne from bacteria (in between 1923 and 1927) who discovered that this extract could be processed as transparent films. Of special importance is the fact that PHB is synthesized from renewable natural sources, and biodegradation PHB-related products are environmentally friendly, and nontoxic and can be easily incorporated into the metabolic pathways of living organisms .…”

“…This process is preceded by the so-called lag phase, when microorganisms need to be adapted to the to-be-degraded polymer. At the first stage of biodegradation, the joint action of extracellular enzymes and abiotic agents and external factors (oxidation, photodegradation, ozonation, and hydrolysis) leads to depolymerization of long-chain polymers and their fragmentation into shorter chain fragments. , Depolymerization is supported by enzymes and free radicals that cleave (chain scission) macromolecular chains down to oligomers, dimers, and monomers. The stage of assimilation involves the formation of new biomass and energy.…”

Embracing Sustainability: The World of Bio-Based Polymers in a Mini Review

“…The biodegradation of a polymer (bio-based or synthetic) is defined as the chemical decomposition process of the substance into environmentally friendly compounds [7]. After a first fragmentation step of the high molecular mass (HMW) polymer to a lower molecular mass (LMW) group of chains [8,9], the final degradation is dependent on microorganisms which, based on the environment (aerobic or anaerobic), will convert the substances mainly into CO 2 , H 2 O, and CH 4 [10]. On the other hand, bio-based polymers are defined by IUPAC as "composed or derived in whole or in part of a biological product issued from biomass (including plant, animal, and marine or forestry materials)" [11].…”