Biodegradability is one of the most important parameters for the environmental fate of a substance. There are three types of biodegradation process:

• Primary biodegradation is the measurement of conversion of an organic substance into different products by biological system. This is the first step in biodegradation.
• Readily biodegradation occurs when biodegradation performance is greater than certain relative fixed percentage of ultimate biodegradation.
• Ultimate biodegradation is the complete conversion of the original substance into carbon dioxide, water and new microbial biomass. This process is also referred to as mineralisation.

Researcher: Siti Afida Ishak
Email: siti.afida@mpob.gov.my