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Biomaterials Science Can Offer a Valuable Second Opinion on Nature’s Plastic Malady
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This commentary argues that the biomaterials science field, which has studied plastic implant degradation and biocompatibility for decades, can provide valuable insights to environmental scientists studying the fate and toxicity of microplastics in nature.
Microplastics are an emerging pollutant with many fundamental questions still left unresolved. Are they toxic? How do they change over time? How long do they persist? Environmental scientists are asking many of these questions about the fate and effects of plastics in the natural environment, while biomaterials scientists have been asking the same questions for years in another environment: the human body. The field of biomaterials encompasses all materials used in biomedical devices and therapies. (Biomaterials are not to be confused with bio-materials or biological materials, which are largely considered a class of materials with some natural origin.) Prior to the 1960s, the field of biomaterials relied on commercial plastics. Classic examples include the precursors of modern-day contact lenses and vascular grafts.
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Leveraging nanoparticle environmental health and safety research in the study of micro- and nano-plastics
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Researchers argue that two decades of research on the environmental health and safety of engineered nanomaterials provides a strong foundation for studying micro- and nanoplastics. They outline how lessons from nano-safety research apply to understanding plastic particle toxicity, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer, and environmental behavior. The study emphasizes that existing tools and methodologies from nanotoxicology can accelerate progress in assessing the risks of particulate plastic pollution.
Biodegradable Polymers: Present Opportunities and Challenges in Providing a Microplastic‐Free Environment
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This viewpoint examines whether biodegradable polymers can solve the microplastic pollution problem, concluding that while they show promise, their biodegradability in real-world natural environments (versus industrial composting conditions) is often uncertain. The authors call for intensive research into truly environmentally degradable materials and smart degradation mechanisms.
Three Lessons for the Microplastics Voyage
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This commentary reflects on lessons learned from two decades of microplastics research, arguing that the field needs to better connect environmental concentrations to biological effects, and to prioritize the most policy-relevant questions. The author calls for more coordination and strategic focus in microplastic science.
On the issue of microplastics in the environment
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This paper examines the origins of microplastic pollution, arguing that its emergence is not solely attributable to polymer chemistry advances and cannot be explained simply by physicochemical degradation processes acting on plastic materials.
Recent advances in research from plastic materials to microplastics
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This review traced recent advances in understanding plastic material degradation into microplastics, covering mechanical, photochemical, and biological fragmentation pathways and reviewing current knowledge on environmental fate and biological effects.
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