ABSTRACT
Biodegradable polymers are designed to degrade upon disposal by the action of living microorganisms. During the past two decades, remarkable advances have been made in the development of non-toxic, cheap, biodegradable, bioadsorbable, and water-soluble biopolymers that are suitable for commercial as well as biomedical applications. Significant progress has also been made in the development of naturallyderived biopolymers, such as starch, cellulose, lactic acid, gelatin, and collagen. Furthermore, the purpose of creating alternative biodegradable polymers for certain commercial goods, such as cosmetics and detergents, has gained much importance. However, consumers have indistinct knowledge about biopolymers and hence are unfamiliar with the use of biodegradable plastics. Besides, no suitable infrastructure for the disposal of bio-waste has yet been designed. This chapter discusses an overview of biodegradable polymers derived from natural resources as well as chemically synthesized polymers that are suitable for biomedical applications.
