Biodegradable Polymers - Practice Questions & MCQ

The large scale utilisation of synthetic polymers is based on their relatively greater inertness to the environmental processes. Given this characteristic, the degradation reactions that might lead to changes in the polymer's properties during the service life of its product do not occur. Advantages apart, due to this very property polymeric waste management has become very difficult. Overuse of such polymers has given birth to severe environmental problems and health hazards.
In biological systems, biopolymers break down chiefly by enzymatic hydrolysis and to a minor extent by oxidation. Keeping in view the polymer waste disposal issues and developing safe polymers for the use by humans, biodegradable synthetic polymers have been created. These synthetic polymers possess the functional groups found in biopolymers and lipids.
Aliphatic polyesters are an important class of biodegradable polymers because several of them are commercially potential biomaterials. Some examples include: Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate-Co-β-Hydroxy-Valerate(PHBV), Nylon-2-Nylon-6, etc.