Biodegradation of Synthetic Polymers in the Aquatic Environment

Abstract

Biodegradation of synthetic polymers can be a sophisticated property for intelligent and sustainable products that offer complex benefits for specific applications. There are many entry paths for synthetic polymers that can accumulate in the aqueous and especially marine environment and little is known about their biodegradation especially in the aquatic environment. The difficulties with determining biodegradation in those environments are based on the absence of appropriate methods and also the fact that these environments often prove low biodegradation rates. It is also complicated to detect biodegradation on polymeric substances because of the high molecular weight, water insolubility and difficult molecular structure making it hard to detect biodegradation products. This work provides an overview of the actual status of research and investigates on different methods of biodegradation tests in the aquatic environment with selected synthetic polymers.