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Quantitative analysis of PBAT microplastics and their degradation products in soil by mass spectrometry
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Scientists developed a new method to measure the breakdown of biodegradable PBAT plastic microplastics in soil and tracked their degradation over 150 days across three different soil types. They found that 11-17% of the plastic degraded during that time, with alkaline soils breaking it down fastest due to higher enzyme activity. The study also detected accumulating degradation by-products in the soil, raising questions about whether so-called biodegradable plastics truly disappear or simply transform into other chemicals.
Global production of biodegradable plastics is increasing, but the degradation behavior of microplastics derived from these items in soil is still scarcely reported. In this study, a method for quantifying soil poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastics was developed, and their degradation behavior in three different soils was investigated. PBAT was quantified by analyzing the content of the monomer terephthalic acid (TPA) released during thermally assisted alkali hydrolysis, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). For alkali hydrolysis, the use of capped bottle, water bath (90 °C for 30 min), and ultrasonication (100 kHz for 15 min) allowed for high-throughput sample processing in comparison to the use of round-bottom flask, reflux condenser, and stirring heating mantle. After 150 days, 10.8%-11.0% of PBAT microplastics were degraded in the acidic and neutral soils, while 17.1% were degraded in the alkaline soil, in line with the greatest lipase activity changes in the alkaline soil. This may be due to the fact that alkaline conditions favor initial depolymerization of PBAT, facilitating subsequent microbial attack. PBAT degradation products were also monitored, using solvent extraction combined with LC-MS and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. It was found that butanediol (up to 1580 μg/kg) accumulated to a higher level than TPA (about 50 μg/kg), especially in acidic and alkaline soils. Overall, this study, for the first time, precisely quantified the degradation of PBAT microplastics in soil. Further study is needed to better understand the fate of biodegradable microplastics in the soil environment and whether they will persist.
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Scientists tracked what happens when biodegradable PBAT plastic films break down in soil over 180 days and found they release microplastics that peaked before declining. Fungi broke the films into smaller pieces while bacteria consumed the fragments, suggesting that even plastics marketed as biodegradable generate microplastics during their breakdown, though soil microbes can eventually help clean them up.
The fate of post-use biodegradable PBAT-based mulch films buried in agricultural soil
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Scientists tracked the breakdown of a biodegradable mulch film in farm soil over 16 months and found that while the film lost more than half its surface area, it released microplastics into the surrounding soil during the process. About 17-23% of the original film material was still recoverable from the soil after nearly 500 days. The study shows that even biodegradable plastics can be a source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Unravelling the ecological ramifications of biodegradable microplastics in soil environment: A systematic review
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Researchers reviewed 85 studies on biodegradable microplastics in soil, finding that when biodegradable plastics fail to fully break down they can disrupt soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial life in ways that depend heavily on concentration and plastic type. The review highlights that "biodegradable" plastics are not a simple fix for microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.
Quantitative methodology for poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastic detection in soil and compost
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Researchers developed a quantitative methodology for detecting poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastics in soil and compost matrices, addressing the need to monitor biodegradable mulch film fragmentation and mineralization in agricultural environments. The method enabled accurate measurement of PBAT microplastic concentrations across environmentally relevant matrices, providing a tool to assess the fate of biodegradable plastics in agroecosystems.
Soil Type Governs the Degradation Dynamics and Microbial Assimilation of Biodegradable Plastic Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate.
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"Biodegradable" plastic doesn't break down the same way everywhere, this study found that soil type (like its acidity and nitrogen levels) strongly affects how fast a common compostable plastic (PBAT) gets broken down by soil microbes. Notably, when this plastic breaks into tiny microplastic fragments, it disrupts soil microbial communities more than intact plastic film does, which matters because healthy soil microbes are essential for growing the food we eat and for naturally filtering out pollutants like microplastics before they spread further into the environment.
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