Biodegradable materials carbon dioxide evolution

The monitoring of carbon-14 labeled carbon dioxide evolution detected by scintillation counting is a very sensitive method but requires the expensive synthesis of radiolabeled test substrates. It is closely related to the ultimate degradation of the test material. H-PE is also used in biodegradation testing [121]. Rate of biodegradation is measured by CO2 production relative to that of compounds of similar chemical structure produced in nature which are known not to accumulate in the environment [117]. 

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