Measuring the Biodegradation of Polymers

As can be imagined from the various mechanisms described above, biodegradation does not only depend on the chemistry of the polymer, but also on the presence of the biological systems involved in the process. When investigating the biodegradability of a material, the effect of the environment cannot be neglected. Microbial activity, and hence biodegradation, is influenced by  

Numerous ways for the experimental assessment of polymer biodegradability have been described in the scientific literature. Because of slightly different definitions or interpretations of the term biodegradability , the different approaches are therefore not equivalent in terms of information they provide or practical significance. Since the typical exposure environment involves incubation of a polymer substrate with microorganisms or enzymes, only a limited number of measurements are possible  

In the following sections, different test methods for the assessment of polymer biodegradahility are presented. Measurements are usually based on one of the four approaches given above, but combinations also occur. Before choosing an assay to simulate environmental effects in an accelerated manner, it is critical to consider the closeness of fit that the assay will provide between substrate, microorganisms or enzymes, and the application or environment in which biodegradation should take place [23]. 

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