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Microplastics generated from a biodegradable plastic in freshwater and seawater
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Researchers compared microplastic generation from a biodegradable plastic (PBAT) and conventional polyethylene in water and found that the biodegradable plastic actually produced far more microplastic fragments. Exposure to UV light, which simulates sunlight, dramatically accelerated the fragmentation of the biodegradable material. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are a straightforward solution to plastic pollution, since they may create more microplastics during the breakdown process.
Biodegradable polymers have been regarded as a promising solution to tackle the pollutions caused by the wide use of conventional polymers. However, during the biodegradation process, the material fragmentation leads to microplastics. In this work, the formation of microplastics from biodegradable poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) in different aquatic environments was investigated and compared with the common non-biodegradable low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The results showed that a much larger quantity of plastic fragments/particles were formed in all aquatic environments from PBAT than from LDPE. In addition, UV-A pretreatment, simulating the exposure to sunlight, increased the rate of PBAT microplastic formation significantly. The size distribution and shapes of the formed microplastics were systematically studied, along with changes in the polymer physicochemical properties such as molecular weight, thermal stability, crystallinity, and mechanical properties, to reveal the formation process of microplastics. This study shows that the microplastic risk from biodegradable polymers is high and needs to be further evaluated with regards to longer timeframes, the biological fate of intermediate products, and final products in freshwater, estuarine and seawater natural habitats. Especially, considering that these microplastics may have good biodegradability in warmer 20 - 25° water but will most likely be highly persistent in the world's cold deep seas.
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Degradation of Biodegradable Microplastics under Artificially Controlled Aging Conditions with UV Radiation
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Researchers subjected biodegradable plastics to controlled UV aging and found that they fragmented into microplastics faster than conventional plastics under simulated outdoor conditions. Biodegradable plastics are promoted as an eco-friendly alternative, but this study shows they may actually create microplastic pollution more rapidly in real-world environments. The findings raise important questions about whether biodegradable plastics are a genuine solution to plastic pollution.
Generation of biodegradable microplastics from commercially available PBAT and PLA-based plastic bags in water: Impacts of UVA and water medium
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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.
Characterization of the degradation products of biodegradable and traditional plastics on UV irradiation and mechanical abrasion
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Researchers compared how biodegradable plastic (PBAT/PLA) and traditional polyethylene break down under UV light and mechanical wear over nine months. The biodegradable plastic degraded faster but released more nanoplastics and dissolved molecules under UV light, while traditional plastic mainly produced larger microplastic fragments. This suggests that biodegradable plastics, while breaking down more quickly, may generate more of the smallest and potentially most harmful plastic particles.
Micro- and nanoplastics released from biodegradable and conventional plastics during degradation: Formation, aging factors, and toxicity
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Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional plastics break down into micro- and nanoplastics during degradation, testing the effects of UV light and mechanical forces. They found that biodegradable plastics like PLA and PBS can produce significant quantities of secondary microplastics, challenging the assumption that they are entirely safe alternatives. The study highlights the need for risk assessments of biodegradable plastics, particularly the tiny fragments generated as they break down.
Secondary microplastics formation and colonized microorganisms on the surface of conventional and degradable plastic granules during long-term UV aging in various environmental media
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Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional plastics generate secondary microplastics and develop bacterial biofilms during long-term UV aging. Biodegradable PBAT plastic produced significantly more secondary microplastic fragments than conventional PVC after 90 days of weathering. The study also found that aged microplastics harbored genes related to human pathogens, raising concerns that biodegradable plastics may actually pose greater ecological risks than expected.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.