Biodegradable plastic
Biodegradable Plastic
Biodegradable plastic is a type of plastic that decomposes naturally in the environment. This is achieved when microorganisms in the environment metabolize and break down the structure of biodegradable plastic. The process of biodegradation depends on the plastic and the environmental conditions.
Pronunciation
Bio-degradable Plastic: /ˌbīōdəˈgrādəbəl ˈplastik/
Etymology
The term "biodegradable plastic" is derived from the prefix "bio-" meaning "life" from the Greek "bios", "degradable" from the Latin "degradare" meaning "to reduce to a lower rank or degree", and "plastic" from the Greek "plastikos" meaning "capable of being shaped or molded".
Related Terms
- Polymer: A large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many repeated subunits, known as monomers.
- Polylactic acid (PLA): A type of plastic that is made from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane and is biodegradable.
- Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA): Linear polyesters produced in nature by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids.
- Microorganisms: Microscopic organisms, which may exist in its single-celled form or in a colony of cells.
- Biodegradation: The disintegration of materials by bacteria, fungi, or other biological means.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Biodegradable plastic
- Wikipedia's article - Biodegradable plastic
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