What is a biodegradable polymer ? Give an example of a biodegradable aliphatic polyester.

Explanation

Polymers which disintegrate by themselves over a period of time due to environment degradution by bacteria etc. are called biodegradable polymers. An example of biodegradable aliphatic polyester is PHB , i.e., Poly-`beta`-hydroxybutyrate -co-`beta`-hydroxyvalerate.
`underset(3-"Hydroxybutanoic acid")(n HO -underset(CH_3)underset(|)(CH)-CH_(2)-COOH)+nHO-underset(CH_2CH_3)underset(|)(CH)-CH_(2)-COOHoverset("Polymerization")to`