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In situ degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch in Nordic agricultural soils
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Nordic field studies tracked the in situ degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films under cold, wet, low-UV conditions, finding that degradation was far slower than under the warm conditions where biodegradable plastics perform as designed, raising concerns about persistence in northern agricultural soils.
Since the 1950s, the use of plastics in agriculture has helped solving many challenges related to food production, while its persistence and mismanagement has led to the plastic pollution we face today. A variety of biodegradable plastic products have thus been marketed, with the aim to solve plastic pollution through complete degradation after use. But the environmental conditions for rapid and complete degradation are not necessarily fulfilled, and the possibility that biodegradable plastics may also contribute to plastic pollution must be evaluated. A two-year field experiment with biodegradable mulches (BDMs) based on polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT/starch and PBAT/polylactic acid) buried in several agricultural soils in mesh bags showed that also under colder climatic conditions does degradation occur, involving fragmentation after two months and depolymerization by hydrolysis, as shown by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani was found to be associated with BDM degradation, and the formation of biodegradable microplastics was observed throughout the experimental period. Between 52 and 93 % of the original BDM mass was recovered after two years, suggesting that accumulation is likely to happen in cold climatic regions when BDM is repeatedly used every year. Mass loss followed negative quadratic functions, implying increasing mass loss rates over time. Despite the range of climatic and edaphic factors, with various agricultural practices and vegetable productions at the study locations, the parameters that significantly favored in situ BDM degradation were higher soil organic matter content and temperatures.
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Researchers studied the fate of biodegradable mulching films in agricultural soils under field conditions as part of the BIOMALEG project. Standard biodegradable mulch films degraded at variable rates depending on polymer composition and soil conditions, with some materials persisting much longer than expected. The findings raise questions about whether biodegradable alternatives to conventional PE mulch effectively prevent microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils.
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This field study examined how quickly biodegradable plastic mulches degrade in agricultural soil under different organic management practices including compost application and cover crops. Compost and biological soil amendment accelerated degradation in some conditions. Faster degradation of biodegradable mulches would reduce the accumulation of microplastic fragments in farmland soil.
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