Biodegradability characterization of bionanocomposites

Bionanocomposites are the ideal candidates for applications in the food packaging industry owing to their improved qualities and performance. With the advent of contemporary technologies, the concept of sustainability has been getting all the limelight. Hence, biodegradability of bionanocomposites is one of the main concerns for the environmentalists and institutions governing public health safety. Many international standards and protocols have been established for the evaluation of biodegradation of bionanocomposites. In the present chapter, different types of bionanocomposites primarily used in packaging applications are briefly discussed, followed by the mechanism involved in the process, and finally the characterization and assessments for biodegradation and the international standards and protocols. The contemporary tools available until now have limitations in terms of flexibility; hence, there is a scope for more studies in this domain to establish better protocols and improved assessment tools to evaluate and characterize the biodegradation process for bionanocomposites. This would highlight the implications of bionanocomposites and promote a better commercialization potential not only in the packaging industry but beyond.