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biodegradation
Also known as bio-degradation
thumb|Yellow slime mold growing on a bin of wet paper
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~24 min read
Article
14 sectionsContents
- Mechanisms
- Factors affecting biodegradation rate
- Individual material classes
- Polycyclic aromatics
- Plastics
- Biodegradable technology
- Biodegradation vs. composting
- Environmental and social effects
- Etymology of "biodegradable"
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Standards by ASTM International
- External links
thumb|Yellow slime mold growing on a bin of wet paper
Biodegradation is the breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. In contrast to biodegradation, phytodegradation, which has few applications, relies on green plants to effect the degradation.