Chemistry in Everyday Life (Biodegradable Polymers)

Biodegradable Polymers
The large scale use of synthetic polymers has been based on their relative inertness to environmental process so that degradation reactions leading to any change in the properties of the polymer during the service life of its product does not occur. It is due to this property that management of polymeric waste has become so difficult that use of polymers has created acute environmental problems.
In biological systems, biopolymers degrade mainly by enzymatic hydrolysis and to some extent by oxidation. Biodegradable synthetic polymers have been developed which are safe for use by human and disposal of polymer waste does not arise.
These synthetic polymers mostly have functional groups prevalent in biopolymers and lipids.
Aliphatic polyesters are one important class of biodegradable polymers as several of them are commercially potential biomaterials.
Poly-hydroxybutyrate-co-[]hydroxyvalerate
(PHBV) is a copolymer of 3-hydroxybutanoic acid and 3-hydroxypentanoic acid, in which the monomer units are connected by ester linkages.
The properties of PHBV vary according to the ratio of both the acids. 3-hydroxybutanoic acid provides stiffness and 3-hydroxypentanoic acid imparts
flexibility to the copolymer.
It is used in specialty packaging, orthopaedic devices and even in controlled drug release. When a drug is put into a capsule of PHBV it is released only after the polymer is degraded. PHBV also undergoes bacterial degradation in the environment.
Poly (Glycolic acid) and poly lactic acid
Poly (Glycolic Acid) and Poly Lactic Acid are commercially successful biodegradable polymers such as sutures. Dextrin was the first bio absorbable suture made from biodegradable polyesters for post-operative stitches.
Nylon-2-Nylon-6
Nylon-2-Nylon-6 an alternating polyamide copolymer of glycine and amino caproic acid and is biodegradable