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Abiotic degradation and accelerated ageing of microplastics from biodegradable and recycled materials in artificial seawater
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Researchers examined the degradation behavior of microplastics from two biodegradable plastics (polylactic acid and Mater-Bi) and recycled PET under simulated seawater and photo-oxidative conditions. They identified hydrolysis as the primary degradation pathway and characterized the oligomers, degradation products, and plastic additives released into the water. The study improves understanding of how these alternative plastic materials break down in marine environments and what chemicals they release.
Microplastics (MPs) are considered one of the most widespread pollutants in all ecosystems worldwide. In the environment, MPs can undergo hydrolysis and/or oxidation, resulting in the release of low-molecular weight degradation products, along with additives, and adsorbed organic pollutants. In this study, the morphological, chemical, and thermal changes of microplastics obtained from two biodegradable plastics, polylactic acid and Mater-Bi®, and a recycled plastic, recycled-polyethylene terephthalate, were examined after accelerated ageing under photo-oxidative conditions in synthetic seawater in a Solarbox system, and after thermal treatment in the dark. Thermal properties were studied by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry. Compositions and changes of chemical components of the polymers were evaluated by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The leachable fractions and degradation products released in synthetic seawater by degraded MPs were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study allowed us to identify hydrolysis as the main degradation pathway of the polymers under analysis, and to characterize not only the oligomers and degradation products released in the water as a consequence of degradation, but also additives used in plastic item formulations. This study improves our understanding of these polymers' behavior under accelerated ageing conditions.
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A lab study exposed common plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene) and a biodegradable plastic (polylactic acid) to sunlight-like UV and different salt levels for 60 days. UV light caused more breakdown in all plastics, and higher salinity worsened this for the conventional plastics, while the biodegradable plastic broke down through a different process and released more dissolved material.
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Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics degrade in artificial seawater and found that exposure led to surface oxidation, cracking, and fragmentation over time. The study suggests that environmental degradation of microplastics in marine settings may generate progressively smaller particles, including nanoplastics, while also releasing chemical additives into surrounding waters.
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Researchers tracked the degradation of five biodegradable plastics in simulated marine environments over nearly a year, including materials like polylactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate. While all materials showed signs of degradation such as surface cracking and weight loss from hydrolysis, they also released polymer fragments into surrounding sand, indicating that even biodegradable plastics can generate microplastic pollution. The findings suggest that labeling a plastic as biodegradable does not guarantee it will fully break down in ocean conditions.
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Researchers tested how commercially available biodegradable plastic bags made from PBAT and PLA degrade in water under UVA light and dark conditions over 12 weeks. They found that both materials degraded faster in pure water than seawater, and UVA light significantly accelerated breakdown, but neither fully decomposed. The study confirms that biodegradable plastics generate microplastic fragments during incomplete degradation in aquatic environments.
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.
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