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In Situ Marine Biodegradation of Poly(lactic) Acid and Thermoplastic Starch Blends
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This study evaluated the use of machine learning algorithms to automate the classification of microplastics from spectroscopic data, finding that ensemble models achieved high accuracy rates for polymer identification. Automated classification substantially reduced analysis time per sample compared to manual expert spectral matching, demonstrating the potential for AI-assisted microplastic monitoring at scale.
Marine life has been suffering from macro- and microplastics since the inception of petroleum-based plastic. Bio-based biodegradable polymers such as PLA and TPS can help mitigate the damage done by petroleum plastics. Blending PLA and TPS can reduce the cost while preventing a significant effect on the material properties. PLA/TPS blend compositions such as 90/10, 80/20, 70/30 could be candidates for a solution. The PLA/TPS blends have been submerged in a marine environment at the Cal Poly Pier in Avila Beach for 8 weeks. Three sample sets containing three of each blend composition were collected every week and tested in order to measure the change in material properties due to biodegradation over time with respect to TPS percentage. Testing via thermogravimetric analysis, tensile testing, and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed that there were signs of biodegradation, but there is not enough significance to determine if the samples biodegraded in a quantifiable amount over this time-frame.
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Photodegradation of biobased polymer blends in seawater: A major source of microplastics in the marine environment
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Researchers investigated microplastic formation from the photodegradation of three biobased polymer blends -- non-biodegradable polyethylene/thermoplastic starch (PE/TPS) and polypropylene/thermoplastic starch (PP/TPS) blends, and biodegradable polylactic acid/thermoplastic starch (PLA/TPS) -- after exposure to seawater in simulated marine conditions. They found that photodegradation of these biobased blends generates microplastics and causes significant changes in physicochemical properties, identifying them as a potential source of marine microplastic pollution despite their eco-friendly positioning.
Properties of reclaimed polypropylene microplastic-polylactic acid blends
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This study explored whether mixing reclaimed microplastic polypropylene with biodegradable PLA plastic could reduce environmental harm while preserving useful mechanical properties. The blends were tested in seawater and buried in soil to assess biodegradation, and a 90% PP / 10% PLA blend retained the highest tensile strength after seawater immersion. Higher PLA content accelerated biodegradation but reduced thermal stability and strength. The research offers a potential strategy for making recovered microplastic materials more environmentally manageable without sacrificing too much performance.
Not Only Diamonds Are Forever: Degradation of Plastic Films in a Simulated Marine Environment
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Researchers found that biodegradable plastics, including polylactic acid (PLA), do not fully degrade in simulated marine environments at realistic temperatures and conditions. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are a straightforward solution to ocean plastic pollution.
An In Situ Experiment to Evaluate the Aging and Degradation Phenomena Induced by Marine Environment Conditions on Commercial Plastic Granules
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Researchers designed two experimental setups to monitor the aging and degradation of commercial plastic granules (HDPE, PP, PLA, and PBAT) in marine conditions over three years. The first six months of results showed measurable changes in plastic properties from exposure to seawater and beach conditions. The study provides real-world data on how different plastic types degrade in marine environments, with biodegradable plastics showing faster changes than conventional polymers.
Bioplastics in the Sea: Rapid In-Vitro Evaluation of Degradability and Persistence at Natural Temperatures
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Researchers evaluated the marine degradability of multiple bioplastic materials at natural seawater temperatures, finding that most bioplastics persist in ocean environments rather than degrading quickly, challenging assumptions that bioplastics represent a straightforward solution to marine plastic pollution.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.