Biodegradation

Biodegradation is a chemical process in which materials are dissolved by bacteria or other biological elements. If a material is biodegradable, it means that it can be consumed by microorganisms and turned into compounds that are natural. It is an important process in ecology and waste management. Items that are biodegradable are considered environmentally friendly because they can turn back into elements found in nature.

Organic materials, such as those that come from plants and animals, can be degraded aerobically (with oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). Some artificial or inorganic materials can also be biodegraded. It is possible to identify specific microorganisms that are able to biodegrade these materials.

In nature, different materials biodegrade at different speeds. Most microorganisms that help biodegradation need light, heat, water and oxygen. 

+Estimated time for compounds to biodegrade in the oceanhttp://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/cruises/super/biodegradation.htm  [Mote Marine Laboratory, 1993] Product Time to biodegrade Apple core  1–2 months General paper  1–3 months Paper towel  2–4 weeks Cardboard box  2 months Cotton cloth  5 months Plastic coated milk carton 5 years Wax coated milk carton 3 months Tin cans 50–100 years Aluminium cans  150–200 years Glass bottles Undetermined (forever) Plastic bags 10–20 years Soft plastic (bottle) 100 years Hard plastic (bottle cap) 400 years

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Category:Waste management