Biodegradation

Degradation caused by enzymatic process resulting from the action of cells.

Note: Modified to exclude abiotic enzymatic processes.

Biodegradation is the chemical dissolution of materials by bacteria, fungi, or other biological means. Although often conflated, biodegradable is distinct in meaning from compostable. While biodegradable simply means to be consumed by microorganism, "compostable" makes the specific demand that the object break down under composting conditions. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management, biomedicine, and the natural environment (bioremediation) and is now commonly associated with environmentally friendly products that are capable of decomposing back into natural elements. Organic material can be degraded aerobically with oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen. Biosurfactant, an extracellular surfactant secreted by microorganisms, enhances the biodegradation process.

Biodegradable matter is generally organic material that serves as a nutrient for microorganisms. Microorganisms are so numerous and diverse that, a huge range of compounds are biodegraded, including hydrocarbons (e.g. oil), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceutical substances. Decomposition of biodegradable substances may include both biological and abiotic steps.