Example of Biodegradable Products

Biodegradable products are those that are made up of substances or materials that can be degraded in a biological or natural way. When you talk about degradation In chemistry, this refers to the process by which a substance is transformed into its basic components or into simpler components after a certain time. When a substance or product degrades it can be reintegrated or assimilated into the environment.

Biodegradation is the type of degradation of a substance or product that is done by biological organisms, such as bacteria or fungi, under natural conditions. Products that have this type of biological degradation are called biodegradable products or simply biodegradable. This degradation can be aerobic, in which oxygen intervenes, or anaerobic, in which oxygen does not intervene.

Microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, or organisms, such as insects or worms, act on biodegradable substances to break them down. These organisms break down substances to produce energy. After the degradation process,

the biodegradable material is transformed into carbon dioxide, water, methane or biomass. Biogas (made up of methane and carbon dioxide) can also be produced in anaerobic biodegradation (in the absence of oxygen); This gas can be used to produce electrical or thermal energy.

Biodegradable products can be composed of:

1. Renewable sources They are those that can be renewed or replaced as they are consumed. This means that over time they can be replaced relatively easily. This includes, for example, biodegradable products based on natural, animal or vegetable proteins, and polysaccharides.
2. Non-renewable sources. On the contrary, these resources cannot be replaced in proportion to their use. They are limited materials or resources that cannot be renewed or whose renewal can last even thousands of years. This includes biodegradable products that are obtained from petroleum derivatives, such as PCL, a type of biodegradable plastic.

Compostable biodegradable products

Some biodegradable products may in turn have the ability to be composted and used as organic fertilizer. Compost is generated by biodegradable products that degrade aerobically; that is, in the presence of oxygen.

It is important to highlight that not all biodegradable products can be composted. For a biodegradable product to be classified as compostable, it has to degrade in a certain time under certain conditions without producing waste or toxic substances. If you are composting, either industrially or at home, the products or waste used should degrade in a similar time. For example, a biodegradable product that takes ten years to degrade cannot be used as compost.

Some examples of compostable biodegradable products are: fruits, vegetables, egg shells, fruit or vegetable shells, plant debris, leaves, branches, feces, among others.

Biodegradation time of biodegradable products

The time in which a biodegradable product takes to decompose will depend on the materials or substances that make it up, the size of the molecules, the amount of microorganisms involved in the process and the environmental conditions in which the product will degrade, such as oxygen, temperature, light, humidity, pH, etc. Here are some examples of biodegradable products and the time they take to degrade. These times are approximate.

1. Paper: its biodegradation time is 1 to two years.
2. Fruit: its biodegradation time is 1 to 6 months.
3. Cotton fabric: its biodegradation time is up to five months.
4. Cellulose Acetate Based Cigar Butt: its biodegradation time is up to 2 years.
5. Wood: its biodegradation time is 2 to 3 years. If the wood is painted, the biodegradation time is up to 15 years.
6. Bones: its biodegradation time is up to 15 years.
7. Wool: its biodegradation time is one year, or it can be extended, depending on the conditions, up to five years.
8. Cotton: its biodegradation time is up to five months.

5 Examples of biodegradable plastics

Biodegradable plastics are atype of plastics that can degrade biologically. Most of the biodegradable plastics are made from organic or natural substances; these are called bioplastics. However, there are biodegradable plastics that are made from petroleum, although they are a minority; many of the plastics obtained from petroleum are non-biodegradable. One of the differences between both biodegradable plastics is that plastics based on organic substances generate less pollution than plastics derived from petroleum. Some biodegradable plastics are:

1. Polyhydroxyalkalinate, also known as PHA, is a natural polyester that is obtained by bacteria that produce it by acting on sugar or lipids. This polyester is obtained from bacteria by different methods.
2. Polylactic acid, also known as PLA, which is produced from corn, wheat, potato or sugar cane starch. Some products made with PLA are medical sutures, implants, food packaging, product wrappers, cups, fabrics, trays, among others. It is a type of compostable plastic; that is to say, with it you can compost.
3. Polyhydroxybutyrate, also known as PHB, is a type of polyhydroxycalkalinate (PHA) that is obtained from bacteria or microorganisms that produce it by storing energy.
4. Polyglycolic acid, Also known as PGA, it is a biodegradable plastic that has great resistance and is used in the manufacture of medical sutures.
5. Polycaprolactone, also known as PCL, is a type of flexible polyester made from caprolactone. This biodegradable plastic is of petrochemical origin; It is obtained from petroleum derivatives. It is used to manufacture implants, prototypes, crafts, among others. Its biodegradation time is two years.

30 Examples of biodegradable products

1. Paper. It is biodegradable because it is composed of vegetable fibers, cellulose obtained from wood, straw, jute, among other vegetable compounds.
2. Paperboard. Like paper, it is made of vegetable fibers.
3. Cigar butts made with cellulose acetate, which is a biodegradable polyethylene.
4. Fibers of vegetable origin, which are obtained from seeds, stems or husks. Some examples are cotton fiber and hemp fiber.
5. Fibers of animal origin, which are obtained from animals; specifically, their wool or hair. Some examples are wool, camel fiber, basil fiber, cashmere fiber, etc.
6. Jute fiber, which is obtained from the white or red jute plant. It is a soft fiber composed of cellulose and lignin. It is used in the textile industry, in the manufacture of paper, sacks, packaging, paints, medicines, among others.
7. Sisal fiber, which is obtained from agave. It is a hard fiber that is used for the manufacture of fabrics, ropes, thread, paper, cardboard, furniture manufacturing, among others.
8. Products made with starch, such as bags, wrappers, among others. The starch comes from organic products such as potatoes, corn, or rice.
9. Products made with cellulose acetate, such as varnish, some textiles, cards and adhesives that are made with this biodegradable product.
10. Products made with cellulose, which is obtained from the walls of plant cells. It is a natural polymer that is used to make fabrics, paper, cardboard, among others.
11. Chitosan-based products, which is used in the medical industry (bandages, sutures), food and cosmetics. This is obtained from chitin, a natural polymer.
12. Abaca fiber, which is obtained from the abacá plant. It is used to make paper, clothing, upholstery, among others.
13. Coir fiber, which is obtained from the coconut plant. It is used to make ropes, fishing nets, brushes, among others.
14. Casein-based products, a type of protein obtained from milk. Its uses include the manufacture of paints, plastics, paper, and adhesives.
15. Leftovers
16. Fruit or vegetable peels
17. Legume leftovers or residues
18. Coffee leftovers
19. Pieces of wood
20. Corn
21. Wheat
22. Seeds
23. Sorghum
24. Rice
25. Collagen
26. Jelly
27. Serum
28. Cotton
29. Gluten
30. Soy