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Do poly(lactic acid) microplastics instigate a threat? A perception for their dynamic towards environmental pollution and toxicity

The Science of The Total Environment 2022 189 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitra Bobori, Martha Kaloyianni, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Nina Maria Ainali, George Z. Kyzas, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitra Bobori, Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Εleni Εvgenidou, Martha Kaloyianni, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Εleni Εvgenidou, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Xin Yang, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Nina Maria Ainali, Nina Maria Ainali, Xin Yang, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Martha Kaloyianni, Dimitrios Kalaronis, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Xin Yang, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra Bobori, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Nina Maria Ainali, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Martha Kaloyianni, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra Bobori, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitra A. Lambropoulou Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Martha Kaloyianni, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, Dimitrios Ν. Bikiaris, George Z. Kyzas, Martha Kaloyianni, Martha Kaloyianni, Dimitra A. Lambropoulou

Summary

This review examines whether poly(lactic acid), a popular biodegradable plastic marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, actually poses environmental risks as it breaks down into microplastics. Researchers found that PLA only degrades fully under specific industrial composting conditions with high temperatures and moisture, and may persist much longer in natural environments. The study calls for deeper investigation into the environmental fate and potential toxicity of PLA microplastics as their use continues to grow.

Polymers

Fears concerning microplastics (MPs) environmental fate and persistence are progressively expanding on a global basis, with the emphasis given to manufacturing bioplastics for substituting petro-derived plastics extensively growing. Among them, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) holds a pioneering role towards the replacement of conventional polymeric materials, owing to its multifunctional properties, enclosing superior mechanical properties, low cost, renewability, great biocompatibility, transparency, and thermoplasticity launching many fields of application. Due to the wide applicability of PLA in several sectors of everyday life, its waste to be released into the environment is expected to follow a growing tendency during the upcoming years. Even though PLA is a biodegradable polyester, it actually degrades under specific composting environments, including a rich oxygen environment with high temperatures (58-80 °C), high humidity (>60% moisture) as well as the presence of micro-organisms (thermophilic bacteria). Additionally, in various studies it has been implied that PLA displays slower degradation performance when found in blends with other conventional polymers, underlining the unspecified effects on PLA degradation profile, keeping thus the information about PLA degradation from a blur standpoint. Therefore, a deepened understanding of the fate and dynamic effects of PLA MPs is of primary importance. Nevertheless, the current examination of the effects of PLA MPs in terms of sorption capacities and toxicity is so far limited and broadly unexplored since the current scientific emphasis has been merely centered on the conventional MPs' behavior. In this light, the present review provides an inclusive overview of the ongoing research of poly(lactic acid) in the framework of microplastics' pollution, while the future trends and missing points in this context are highlighted.

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