(b) Environment. The following environmental factors must be tuned environment .within the window of acceptability for the organisms producing the appropriate enzymes to degrade the target polymer :
(1) Temperature,
(ii) Pressure,
(iii) Moisture
(iv) Oxygen
(v) Type and concentration of salts,
(vi) Light etc.
(C) Substrate. Here the substrate refers to biodegradable polymer. And it must following essential features for biodegradation process to be successful :
(1) Suitable functional groups. BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS chain must contain suitable function groups or linkages (like ester groups) .which are susceptible to hydrolysis oxidation by micro-organisms (or enzymes) for the initiation of biodegradation process.
(ii) Hydrophilicity. Greater the hydrophilicity of the polymer and usually larger is the
rate of biodegradation.
(iii) Low molecular weights. Polymers with low molecular weights are more
susceptible towards biodegradation.
(iv) Less crystallinity. As the crystalline domains are difficult to be accessed by the enzymes for the degradation process to start.