The Student Room Group

are biofuels biodegradable?

if so, why is this? and what depends on whether something is biodegradable or not?
thanks!
Reply 1
Quite possibly they are, but why would anyone care?

They are fuels and are intended to be burnt, releasing only (relatively) safe CO2 and H2O.

Why would you go to all of the trouble of making a fuel and then not burn it?

The 'bio' bit refers to their source (from living things) not their disposal.
probably
If "bio" is intended to mean the environment then virtually everything is - it's just a matter of timescale.

Hydrocarbons are not easily digested or broken down by common bacteria and biofuels hydrolyse relatively easily to alcohols and long chain carboxylic acids (fatty acids), neither of which is easily broken down.

Natural UV radiation breaks every organic apart eventually.

But as Pigster says, "who cares?"

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