Biodegradable Polymeric Materials-Not the Origin but the Chemical Structure Determines Biodegradability

It is completely plausible that unmodified materials of natural origin, such as the native macromolecules cellulose or starch, are biodegradable. If these materials are modified then degradation may, depending on the degree of modification, be more difficult or even impossible. In the same manner sy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Angewandte Chemie International Edition 1999-05, Vol.38 (10), p.1438-1442
Main Authors: Witt, Uwe, Yamamoto, Motonori, Seeliger, Ursula, Müller, Rolf-Joachim, Warzelhan, Volker
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biodegradability
Composting
Copolyester
Metabolism
Polymers
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:It is completely plausible that unmodified materials of natural origin, such as the native macromolecules cellulose or starch, are biodegradable. If these materials are modified then degradation may, depending on the degree of modification, be more difficult or even impossible. In the same manner synthesized macromolecules, whether from renewable or petrochemical sources, could be inert or completey biodegradable, depending on their chemical structure.
ISSN:1433-7851
1521-3773
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19990517)38:10<1438::AID-ANIE1438>3.0.CO;2-U