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Insights into the abiotic fragmentation of biodegradable mulches under accelerated weathering conditions
Summary
Biodegradable plastic mulches are increasingly tilled into agricultural soils as an alternative to removal, but this study found that UV weathering breaks them down into biodegradable microplastics that adsorb aromatic compounds and heavy metals, potentially transferring these contaminants through the food web. The findings suggest that "biodegradable" does not mean risk-free, and that fragmentation products from these mulches warrant serious attention in farmland pollution assessments.
Biodegradable mulches (BMs) can be tilled into soils to mitigate disposal and environmental problems. However, the content of biodegradable microplastics (BMPs) would increase with the addition of biodegradable macroplastics (BMaPs). The fragmented particles have a strong affinity to soil pollutants, having the potential to transfer via the terrestrial food web in an agroecosystem. Based on the spectral analysis and particle size analysis, this study explored the physicochemical characteristics of weathered BMaPs and BMP-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM). Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation reduced the mechanical strength of BMaPs and induced oxygenated functional groups, thus increasing surface roughness and hydrophilicity. This promoted the adsorption of aromatic compounds and heavy metals from soils to BMPs. After entering the water environment, the pH of the solution with DOM decreased, whereas the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased. Compared with paper mulch, bioplastic mulch contributed a higher amount of DOM, such as aromatic structure-containing chemicals and carboxylic acids, to the water environment but released fewer and smaller plastic particles. The findings from this study can help manage environmental risks and determine disposal strategies after the use of mulching.