Biodegradation is the biologically mediated transformation and mineralization of organic or inorganic substances by microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and archaea, often via extracellular and intracellular enzymatic pathways. It proceeds through sequential steps including depolymerization, primary degradation to smaller intermediates, and ultimate mineralization to CO₂, CH₄, H₂O, inorganic salts, and biomass under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In environmental and engineering contexts, biodegradation governs the fate of pollutants, natural organic matter, and synthetic materials, and is a central process in bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and life-cycle assessment of chemicals and polymers.
As another heavy sargassum season unfolds, many beachgoers are asking the same question: Is it safe to be near it? A recent University of Miami study offers an evidence-based answer, particularly for children. Overall risks ...
Environment
Jun 1, 2026
0
50
As climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity place growing pressure on agriculture, scientists are looking for new ways to help crops germinate and grow more efficiently while reducing environmental impact. A new ...
Biotechnology
May 31, 2026
0
76
Researchers at the São Carlos Institute of Physics at the University of São Paulo (IFSC-USP) in Brazil, led by Paulo Augusto Raymundo-Pereira, have created biodegradable, "wearable" sensors for plants to monitor their health, ...
Biotechnology
May 14, 2026
0
10
With plastic pollution at an all-time high, the need for biodegradable materials has never been higher. Most packaging is "single use" and is made from sources, like natural gas, that take hundreds of years to decompose in ...
Biotechnology
May 12, 2026
0
17
Innovators who are working on ways to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to fight climate change are having a tough time lately.
Environment
May 12, 2026
2
17
Millions of tons of plastic waste accumulate in landfills and oceans every year. One promising response is to engineer microbes to break the plastic down into useful chemical building blocks. However, teaching a bacterium ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 4, 2026
0
11
Fallen leaves, which are discarded every year, have been transformed into a resource that can replace waste plastics, a major nuisance in rural areas. A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology ...
Biotechnology
Apr 30, 2026
0
9
The beaches of Sydney's Royal National Park have been disrupted by a pungent odor. And its source is drawing in more than just seagulls.
Plants & Animals
Apr 30, 2026
0
18
Through the air we breathe and the food we eat, we can't help but inhale and ingest tiny bits of plastic every day.
Environment
Apr 26, 2026
0
63
The telltale V-formations of migrating Canada geese each spring are usually welcome harbingers of warmer weather. They are also a visible warning that your chances of stepping on something unpleasant in a local park, sports ...
Ecology
Apr 21, 2026
0
11
