What Is The Meaning Of Biodegradation?

The meaning of biodegradation is breaking down of organic substances by the help of other living organisms such as bacteria and microbes. Biodegradation helps out greatly in waste management and keeping the environment clean.

Organic substances can be broken down in two different ways; either aerobically, with the help of oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen. Matter which is Biodegradable comes generally from organic plant & animal matter or other matters which originate from living organisms.

      Some byproducts of biodegradation which is anaerobic in nature, are biogas, lignin and cellulose. These cannot be further broken down by anaerobes. The time required for biodegradation of different materials is different.

Some such time spans are given below:
     Banana peel – A week
     Cotton cloth – 1 to5 months
     Paper -  2 to5 months
     Wool -  1 to 5 years
     Leather – 25 to 40 years
     Nylon - 30 to 40 years
     Thin plastic – 10 to 20 years, Thick plastic – 500 years

It is when the earth naturally degrades organic material. Be it a dead tree or animal.