Term: biodegradable polymer
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.BT07169

Definition:
Polymer susceptible to degradation by biological activity, with the degradation accompanied by a lowering of its molar mass.

Notes:
0) See also Note 2 to @PT07144@.
1) In the case of a polymer, its @B00656@ proceeds not only by catalytic activity of @E02159@, but also by a wide variety of biological activities.

Related Terms:
1) polymer degradation (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.PT07144).
2) biodegradation (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.B00656).
3) enzymes (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02159).

Source: PAC, 2004, 76, 889. 'Definitions of terms relating to reactions of polymers and to functional polymeric materials (IUPAC Recommendations 2003)' on page 898 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200476040889)

Citation: 'biodegradable polymer' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.BT07169

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