Title: degradation
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - degradation
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.13891
Status: current

Definition
Degradation that results in desired changes in the values of in-use properties of the material because of macromolecule cleavage and molar mass decrease.

Notes
1) Adapted where the definition is general. For biorelated polymers, the definition is purposely and specifically limited to the chemical degradation of macromolecules in order to make a clear distinction with the physical degradation of the material.
2) In any condition, degradation must be used instead of biodegradation when the mechanism of chain scission is not known or demonstrated as cell-mediated.
3) Degradation can result from the action of enzymes (see enzymatic degradation), or from the action of cells, organisms, and/or microorganisms.

Related Terms
- disintegration: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/13903
- enzymatic degradation: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/13905

Source
- PAC, 2012, 84, 377. 'Terminology for biorelated polymers and applications (IUPAC Recommendations 2012)' on page 388 (https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REC-10-12-04)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13891/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13891/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/13891/xml

Citation: Citation: 'degradation' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.13891
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Accessed: 2026-06-04T18:07:08+00:00