Question

Give the complete name for $\text{PHBV}$. How is it useful?

Answer 1

It is known that polymers such as polysaccharides such as starch or cellulose proteins and nucleic acids which control the various life processes are called biopolymers.

Complete step by step answer:
We know that the complete name for $\text{PHBV}$ is poly$-\beta-$hydroxybutyrate-co$-\beta-$hydroxyvalerate. It is a thermoplastic copolymer of $3-$hydroxy-butanoic acid and $3-$hydroxypentanoic acid in which the two monomer units are connected by ester linkages.
We know that the use of $\text{PHBV}$ is in specialty packaging, orthopedic devices and in controlled drug release. When a drug is enclosed in a capsule of $\text{PHBV}$, it is released only when the polymer is degraded in the body. Therefore, we can say that the $\text{PHBV}$ undergoes bacterial degradation in the environment.

Note:
We know that polymers which disintegrate by themselves over a period of time either by enzymatic hydrolysis or by bacterial degradation or oxidation in the environment are termed as biodegradable polymers. Therefore, we can say that the $\text{PHBV}$ is one of the biodegradable polymers.