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Biodegradability of Bioplastics in Managed and Unmanaged Environments: A Comprehensive Review
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This review comprehensively examines how well different bioplastics biodegrade across both controlled environments — such as industrial composting and anaerobic digestion — and natural settings like soil, seawater, and freshwater, finding that biodegradation efficacy varies widely by material type and environmental conditions, with many bioplastics still poorly characterized.
The production and utilization of conventional plastics have raised concerns regarding plastic waste management and environmental safety. In response, the emergence of biodegradable bioplastics presents a possible solution for sustainability. On the other hand, the efficacy of biodegradation is strictly dependent on both the bioplastic type and the conditions in which the biodegradation occurs. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the biodegradation behavior of several bioplastics under a managed (industrialized or controlled) environment, such as industrial composting and anaerobic digestion (at either mesophilic or thermophilic temperature), as well as under less studied unmanaged (natural or open) environments, including soil, seawater, and freshwater. Although the biodegradation trend of some bioplastics is well known, further investigation should be pursued for others in order to clearly have the knowledge and the ability to choose the most viable bioplastic for a specific application and future end-of-life.
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Biodegradation of Different Types of Bioplastics through Composting—A Recent Trend in Green Recycling
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This review examines the biodegradation of various bioplastics through composting and other environments. Researchers found that while bioplastics offer a promising sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics, their degradation rates are highly dependent on environmental conditions, and concerns remain about their leakage into the environment and long degradation timeframes during waste management.
Biodegradation of Wasted Bioplastics in Natural and Industrial Environments: A Review
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This review examines the biodegradation of bioplastics in both natural environments and industrial composting facilities, finding that many bioplastics degrade far more slowly outside industrial conditions than their labeling implies.
Review on the Biological Degradation of Polymers in Various Environments
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This review provides an overview of how biodegradable plastics degrade under different environmental conditions including soil, freshwater, marine, and composting environments. It finds that biodegradability is a material property strongly dependent on environmental conditions, and that many so-called biodegradable plastics degrade far more slowly in nature than in controlled test conditions.
Anaerobic Biodegradability of Commercial Bioplastic Products: Systematic Bibliographic Analysis and Critical Assessment of the Latest Advances
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Researchers systematically reviewed the anaerobic biodegradability of commercial bioplastics, finding that degradation rates vary widely depending on polymer type and blend composition, and that current testing standards are insufficient to predict real-world breakdown under both controlled and uncontrolled conditions.
Biodegradable polymers: A review about biodegradation and its implications and applications
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"This review surveys the landscape of biodegradable polymers from both renewable and fossil-based sources, examining how polymer properties and environmental conditions influence biodegradation rates, along with methods for measuring biodegradability and toxicity. Researchers highlight applications in agriculture, medicine, and packaging while discussing the broader environmental implications of plastic biodegradation and future prospects for sustainable materials."
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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.