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Tier 2
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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Environmental Sources
Remediation
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Biodegradable mulch films exhibit slower-than-expected degradation with negligible effects on soil microbial communities
Journal of Hazardous Materials2025
2 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 48
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Michaela K. Reay,
Davey L. Jones,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Rafael Bargiela,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Estelle Choiselat,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Estelle Choiselat,
David R. Chadwick
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Qiuyun Liu,
Qiuyun Liu,
Athanasios Dimitriou,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Michaela K. Reay,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
Martine Graf,
David R. Chadwick
Rafael Bargiela,
Rafael Bargiela,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Martine Graf,
Rafael Bargiela,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Michaela K. Reay,
Rafael Bargiela,
David R. Chadwick
Rafael Bargiela,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Michaela K. Reay,
Athanasios Dimitriou,
Qiuyun Liu,
Qiuyun Liu,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Qiuyun Liu,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Qiuyun Liu,
Davey L. Jones,
Qiuyun Liu,
Qiuyun Liu,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Rafael Bargiela,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Robert Elias,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
Robert I. Griffiths,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Peter N. Golyshin,
Peter N. Golyshin,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
David R. Chadwick
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
Davey L. Jones,
David R. Chadwick
Summary
Researchers ran a year-long field trial with seven biodegradable plastic mulch films in the UK, finding that none fragmented into soil microplastics as expected and all degraded far more slowly than current industry standards suggest they should. Despite virtually no measurable impact on soil microbial communities, the results challenge the assumption that biodegradable plastics reliably break down under real farming conditions.
The adoption of biodegradable plastic mulch films (PMFs) has increased as a sustainable alternative to conventional PMFs. However, evidence suggests that current biodegradability standards may not reflect in-field conditions, leading to potential accumulation of biodegradable PMFs in soil with yet undetermined effects on soil microbial communities. We therefore conducted a field experiment to investigate the above and below ground degradation of one conventional and seven biodegradable PMF blends in a temperate climate (UK) over 12 months. We found that PMFs had no effect on soil properties and a negligible effect on microbial community structure. The main factors driving change in relative abundance of bacteria and fungi were exposure time, followed by the potential of meso- and macrofauna interactions. PMFs buried in soil showed no sign of fragmentation, regardless of presence of meso- and macrofauna, which was likely the cause for no overall difference in microplastic concentrations. The slow degradation of all PMFs combined with the lack of physical fragmentation under natural conditions, indicates that degradation is slower than expected according to current biodegradability standards. This highlights the importance of reframing standards by treating degradation as a system property, influenced by a variety of environmental and intrinsic factors.