Biological Damage to Polymers by Microfungi. Environmental Aspect

The research methodology they based on a systematic approach, which uses modern and classical scientific methods: analysis and generalisation of data from scientific theoretical and experimental studies. The ecological immunity of microfungi and new risk factors arising from the intensification of the latter is action on the biodegradation of polymer materials we assessed. A new approach to the problem of biodegradation we proposed, taking into account the ecological aspect of both the substrate (polymer) and the destructor (microfungus). Due to their physiological and biochemical properties and substrate-destructive characteristics, microfungi create a variety of ecological niches and become an additional criterion for assessing the quality of polymer materials and products made from them. It they established that biodegradation is a natural process from an ecological point of view and thanks to comparative and analytical analysis, the periodicity and sequence of the appearance of microfungi on the structures of polymer products has been determined. When distributed on polymer structures, synergy, competition, and antagonism are widespread among microfungi, which play an important role in regulating biochemical and physiological processes in partner cells as part of symbiotic systems. Protection against biological damage requires a comprehensive solution, as polymers, as promising materials of the future, are becoming part of the biosphere. When creating new materials, it is important to consider ecological immunity – the rate at which they decompose in natural conditions.