ABSTRACT
Biodegradation is the ability of an object to disintegrate in the biological environment accompanied by the loss of its mass and volume. Biodegradation is the result of physical, chemical, and biochemical (i.e., involving enzymes) processes. The ability of an object’s sorption and diffusion of water, and hydrolysis of groups of the chain of polymer, from which the object is made, are the important factors affecting biodegradation. Other factors such as degree of crystallinity, the physical form of the object (e.g., porosity, presence of defects), and so on can also affect biodegradation. Simple dissolution of the object is observed if it is made of a polymer soluble in the surrounding biological medium. In this case, biodegradation of the object can occur without any chemical transformations.
