Editing Cigarette (section)

=== Factors in biodegradation ===
The duration of the biodegradation process is cited as taking as little as one month<ref name=bat/> to as long as 15 years or more, depending on the environmental conditions. The major factor that affects the biodegradation duration is the availability of acetylesterase and cellulase enzymes. Without these enzymes, biodegradation only occurs through chemical hydrolysis and stops there. Temperature is another major factor: if the organisms that contain the enzymes are too cold to grow, then biodegradation is severely hindered. Availability of oxygen in the environment also affects the degradation. Cellulose acetate is degraded within 2–3 weeks under [[Aerobic respiration|aerobic]] assay systems of ''[[in vitro]]'' enrichment cultivation techniques and an activated sludge wastewater treatment system.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Buchanan CM, Garder RM, Komarek RJ |title=Aerobic biodegradation of cellulose acetate |journal=Journal of Applied Polymer Science |volume=47 |issue=10 |pages=1709–1719 |date=1993 |doi=10.1002/app.1993.070471001}}</ref> It is degraded within 14 weeks under [[Anaerobic respiration|anaerobic]] conditions of incubation with special cultures of fungi.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Rivard CJ, Adney WS, Himmel ME, Mitchell DJ, Vinzant TB, Grohmann K, Moens L, Chum H |title=Effects of Natural Polymer Acetlation on the anaerobic Dioconversion to Methane and Carbon Dioxide |journal=Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology |volume=34/35 |pages=725–736 |date=1992 |doi=10.1007/bf02920592 |s2cid=84432678 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1232570 |access-date=June 24, 2019 |archive-date=June 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624060422/https://zenodo.org/record/1232570 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ideal conditions were used for the degradation (i.e., a suitable temperature, and available organisms to provide the enzymes). Thus, filters last longer in places with low oxygen concentration, such as swamps and bogs. Overall, the biodegradation process of cellulose acetate is not an instantaneous process.