Editing Cigarette (section)

=== Biodegradation ===
[[File:Chemical hydrolysis.png|thumb|400 px|Chemical hydrolysis of cellulose acetate]]
The first step in the biodegradation of cellulose acetate is the deactylation of the acetate from the polymer chain (which is the opposite of [[acetylation]]). An acetate is a negative ion with the chemical formula of C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>3</sub>O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>. Deacetylation can be performed by either chemical hydrolysis or [[acetylesterase]]. Chemical hydrolysis is the cleavage of a chemical bond by addition of water. In the reaction, water (H<sub>2</sub>O) reacts with the [[ethyl acetate|acetic ester]] functional group attached the cellulose polymer chain and forms an [[Alcohol (chemistry)|alcohol]] and [[acetate]]. The alcohol is simply the cellulose polymer chain with the acetate replaced with an alcohol group. The second reaction is exactly the same as chemical hydrolysis with the exception of the use of an [[acetylesterase]] enzyme. The enzyme, found in most plants, [[catalysis|catalyzes]] the [[chemical reaction]] shown below.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Acetylesterase-mediated deacetylation of pectin impairs cell elongation, pollen germination, and plant reproduction |date=January 2012 |pmid=22247250|doi=10.1105/tpc.111.092411|volume=24|issue=1|pmc=3289554|journal=Plant Cell|pages=50–65 | last1 = Gou | first1 = JY | last2 = Miller | first2 = LM | last3 = Hou | first3 = G | last4 = Yu | first4 = XH | last5 = Chen | first5 = XY | last6 = Liu | first6 = CJ|bibcode=2012PlanC..24...50G }}{{dead link|date=July 2015}}</ref>
:acetic ester + H<sub>2</sub>O {{eqm}} alcohol + acetate
In the case of the enzymatic reaction, the two substrates (reactants) are again [[acetic ester]] and H<sub>2</sub>O, the two [[product (chemistry)|products]] of the reaction are [[Alcohol (chemistry)|alcohol]] and [[acetate]]. This reaction is exactly the same as the chemical hydrolysis. Both of these products are perfectly fine in the environment. Once the acetate group is removed from the cellulose chain, the polymer can be readily degraded by [[cellulase]], which is another enzyme found in [[fungus|fungi]], [[bacteria]], and [[protozoa]]ns. Cellulases break down the cellulose molecule into monosaccharides ("simple sugars") such as beta-[[glucose]], or shorter [[polysaccharide]]s and [[oligosaccharide]]s. [[File:Cellulos to glycose.png|thumb|400 px|The chemical structure change of cellulose into glucose]]These simple sugars are not harmful to the environment and are in fact are a useful product for many plants and animals. The breakdown of cellulose is of interest in the field of biofuel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2010/ph240/jin2/|title=Breaking Down Cellulose|website=large.stanford.edu|access-date=November 25, 2014|archive-date=November 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141125041840/http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2010/ph240/jin2/|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the conditions that affect the process, large variation in the degradation time of cellulose acetate occurs.