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Are biodegradable plastic mulch films an effective way to solve residual mulch film pollution in farmland?
Summary
This review finds that biodegradable plastic mulch films (BPM) may actually accelerate microplastic generation in agricultural soils compared to conventional films, while also disrupting soil microbial diversity and altering carbon and nitrogen cycles in unpredictable ways. The findings raise serious questions about whether switching to biodegradable plastics genuinely reduces pollution risk or simply shifts it to a different — and potentially more complex — form of soil contamination.
The pollution caused by agricultural plastic mulch film and the resulting microplastics has garnered significant attention. The partial application of biodegradable plastic mulch film (BPM) appears to be a promising method for reducing plastic pollution in agricultural soil. However, there is currently limited information available on the impact of BPM and the resulting microplastics on agricultural ecosystems. Many mechanisms and conclusions regarding this issue remain uncertain. Accordingly, a comprehensive understanding of the limitations of BPM applications is crucial for assessing the potential ecological risks and guiding future research. Problematically, the actual environmental conditions of agricultural soil, climatic conditions, degradability, market price, and acceptance by farmers all significantly limit the implementation of BPM. Due to the faster and easier degradation of BPM compared to conventional plastic mulch film (CPM), a larger amount of microplastics may be generated within the same time frame. In addition, the implementation of BPM can result in significant alterations in soil microbial diversity, thereby affecting the emissions of CO2, N2O, and CH4. These changes can ultimately have unpredictable consequences on the carbon and nitrogen cycles. The price, uncertainty of degradation in soil, and potential negative impact on the soil environment also restrict the wide application of BPM. Overall, considering the existing knowledge gap and potential issues, further research is needed to determine whether BPM can effectively address the problem of residual mulch film and microplastic pollution in farmland. There is still a long way to go before BPM can completely replace CPM in agricultural production.