What is controlled biodegradation?

[zoala001]

what is is the definition of controlled biodegradation ? my field is implants and there is slide that my teacher has mentioned that controlled biodegradation is important? is it the process of changing the material to change be able to change the rate of degradation?

 

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what is is the definition of controlled biodegradation ? my field is implants and there is slide that my teacher has mentioned that controlled biodegradation is important? is it the process of changing the material to change be able to change the rate of degradation?

Hello zoal001
Well, materials erode, corrode, degrade through all sorts of means such as chemical action, wear through friction, molecular change due radiation, just to name a few ways. Biodegradation is the term used when a materials structure changes through biological means. That can mean the material is used as a food source for the organisms or the material is affected by biological secretions and/or biological environment.

When humans build things they would like to determine how long it will last, or select materials for the project and amount so that the functional life can be pre-determined. If, say, the degradtion of the material at the surface is say X μm per year ( such as steel rusting away ) then one can calculate either how long a certain amount of material will last, or how much material is needed to last Y number of years. Of course, when designing something we impart a qualitative approach such that, at the end of the projects life it is still functiong adequately, semi-functional, or not at all. Cars for example can be still semi-functional when taken to the pound. Bridges are still fully functional ( in most cases ) before being declared condemmned for traffic flow. Implants would necessarily be in the fully functional arena before replacement or at the death sadly of the individual.