Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

An Eco-friendly Alternative to Polyethylene Microbeads in Personal Healthcare Products

This paper proposes eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives to polyethylene microbeads used as exfoliants in personal care products like shower gels. Replacing synthetic plastic microbeads with natural materials would reduce a direct source of microplastic pollution entering waterways through drain runoff.

2020 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT)
Article Tier 2

Development of sustainable Exfoliating Scrub using Coconut Sapal and Coffee Waste

Researchers developed and evaluated exfoliating scrub formulations using coconut sapal and coffee waste as natural, biodegradable alternatives to synthetic microplastic microbeads commonly found in personal care products, assessing the physical and sensory properties of the resulting formulations.

2025 Pantao, international journal of the humanities and social sciences
Article Tier 2

Innovative Approaches to an Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Industry: A Review of Sustainable Ingredients

This review examines sustainable alternatives to conventional cosmetic ingredients, including plant-based, microbial, and recycled materials that could replace synthetic and potentially harmful components. While not directly about microplastics, cosmetic microbeads have been a significant source of microplastic pollution, and the push for eco-friendly ingredients helps reduce plastic particles entering waterways. The shift toward sustainable cosmetics is part of broader efforts to decrease human exposure to synthetic microparticles.

2024 Clean Technologies 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Electrospraying of environmentally sustainable alginate microbeads for cosmetic additives

Biodegradable microbeads made from seaweed-derived alginate were fabricated as replacements for the plastic microbeads used in cosmetics. This technology addresses a well-documented source of microplastic pollution entering waterways through bathroom drains.

2019 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 54 citations
Article Tier 2

The Degradation Rate of Bio Microbeads Derived from Cellulose and Impregnated with Moringa Leaf Flavonoids Extract

This study developed biodegradable microbeads derived from cellulose as an eco-friendly replacement for synthetic plastic microbeads, which are banned in many countries because they pass through wastewater treatment and accumulate in the environment. The bio-based microbeads showed competitive degradation rates while meeting functional requirements for personal care product applications.

2023 Materials science forum 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable chito-beads replacing non-biodegradable microplastics for cosmetics

Biodegradable microbeads were prepared by reacetylation of chitosan as a direct substitute for synthetic polymer microbeads in cosmetic exfoliators. The chitosan-based beads demonstrated suitable mechanical properties and high cleansing efficiency, offering a viable biodegradable alternative to conventional microplastic microbeads.

2021 Green Chemistry 76 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradable poly(β-amino ester) microparticles for cleansing products and food fortification

Researchers developed degradable microparticles made from a material that breaks down into sugar and amino acid byproducts, designed to replace the non-degradable plastic microbeads used in cleansing products and food fortification. These new particles performed similarly to conventional plastic microbeads but dissolve harmlessly in the environment. This innovation could help reduce one significant source of microplastic pollution that enters waterways and the food supply.

2024 Nature Chemical Engineering 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Biosourced Spherical Microbeads from Brewer’s Spent Grain for Sustainable Personal Hygiene Products

Researchers developed biodegradable microbeads from brewer's spent grain as a sustainable replacement for plastic microbeads in personal care exfoliants, which are banned in many countries due to their environmental persistence. The biosourced spherical particles showed mechanical properties comparable to plastic microbeads, offering a genuinely plastic-free alternative that breaks down naturally.

2023 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Surface Morphology-Enhanced Delivery of Bioinspired Eco-Friendly Microcapsules

Researchers developed biodegradable microcapsules made from proteins and biominerals as a sustainable replacement for the synthetic polymer microplastic particles used in many consumer products including cosmetics and paints. The capsules degraded naturally and performed comparably to conventional capsules in controlled release tests. Replacing non-biodegradable microcapsules with protein-mineral alternatives could significantly reduce microplastic pollution from consumer goods.

2022 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 7 citations
Article Tier 2

A Scalable and Surfactant-Free Emulsion Method for Producing Microbeads from Varied Biomass Feedstocks

Researchers developed a scalable, surfactant-free emulsion method for producing microbeads from non-derivatized biomass such as cellulose, offering a biodegradable alternative to plastic microbeads still used in personal care and consumer products despite national and international regulations.

2024 Langmuir
Article Tier 2

Biosourced spherical microbeads from brewer's spent grain for sustainable personal hygiene products

Researchers developed biosourced spherical microbeads from brewer's spent grain as a sustainable substitute for petrochemical plastic microbeads used as exfoliating agents in personal care products. The bio-based particles were characterized for size, shape, and mechanical properties to confirm suitability for cosmetic formulations.

2024 Journal of Polymer Science 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Biodegradable, PLA-Based Exfoliant Microbeads via Droplet Microfluidics for Sustainable Cosmetics

Biodegradable microbeads made from polylactic acid (PLA) were fabricated using droplet microfluidics and shown to degrade significantly faster than conventional plastic microbeads in both aqueous and soil environments. This work directly addresses the microplastic pollution problem in cosmetics by providing a viable, scalable, biodegradable alternative to the polyethylene microbeads that have been banned in many countries.

2026 ACS Applied Polymer Materials
Article Tier 2

Effect of Addition of Spheroidal Cellulose Powders on Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Cosmetic Emulsions

The cosmetics industry has historically used tiny plastic microbeads as scrubbing and texturizing agents in face creams, but these are now widely banned due to environmental harm. This study evaluated spheroidal cellulose powders — derived from plant material — as a biodegradable replacement, finding that creams containing cellulose particles of two different sizes (2 and 7 µm) performed best, delivering good skin hydration, favorable texture, and high consumer sensory ratings. The results support cellulose-based particles as a viable and genuinely biodegradable substitute for synthetic microplastics in personal care products.

2025 Polymers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Waste utilization and optimization of calamansi peels: a formulation study on biodegradable microbeads

Tiny plastic beads used as exfoliants in cosmetics are a direct source of microplastic pollution — and this Philippine study developed a biodegradable alternative made from the cellulose in calamansi citrus peel waste. The resulting beads matched industry size standards for exfoliants and performed well in both hand sanitizer and facial gel formulations, with good stability and texture. The work demonstrates a circular-economy approach: converting agricultural food waste into an eco-friendly substitute for synthetic microplastics in personal care products.

2026 Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Article Tier 2

Microplastics (MPs) in Cosmetics: A Review on Their Presence in Personal-Care, Cosmetic, and Cleaning Products (PCCPs) and Sustainable Alternatives from Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers

This review documents how microplastics are widely used in personal care products, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies as exfoliants, film formers, and texture enhancers. These products wash down the drain and contribute to environmental microplastic pollution, which can ultimately cycle back to humans through contaminated water and food.

2024 Cosmetics 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing the biodegradability of microparticles disposed down the drain

This study tested the biodegradability of microparticles made from natural and biodegradable materials proposed as alternatives to synthetic microplastic particles in personal care products, finding that they broke down efficiently under standard conditions. The results support the use of naturally derived microparticles as safer substitutes for plastic microbeads in cosmetics.

2017 Chemosphere 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of microbeads in cosmetic products in the United Arab Emirates

Researchers analyzed 37 facial and body scrubs sold in the United Arab Emirates and found that only 11 contained microplastic particles, while the remainder used natural alternatives such as microcrystalline cellulose and crushed walnut shells.

2019 Environmental Pollution 107 citations
Article Tier 2

Eco-Designing Cosmetic Products while Preserving the Sensorial-Application Properties: An Instrumental Approach toward Sustainable Formulations

Researchers explored eco-design approaches for reformulating cosmetic skin care products using natural and biodegradable ingredients. The study demonstrated that synthetic texturizers like nylon-12 and PMMA could be replaced with starch, maltodextrin, and silica while maintaining sensorial application properties, supporting the reduction of microplastic-generating ingredients in personal care products.

2024 Cosmetics 11 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microencapsulation for Functional Textile Coatings with Emphasis on Biodegradability—A Systematic Review

This systematic review found that microencapsulation techniques for functional textile coatings are well-established for conventional shell materials, but biodegradable alternatives remain limited and often sacrifice durability. The review identified that most microcapsule shell materials are synthetic polymers that can contribute to microplastic pollution when they degrade from textile surfaces during washing. Developing truly biodegradable microcapsule formulations is essential for reducing the microplastic fiber shedding that makes textiles one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution.

2021 Coatings 66 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradable Polymeric Waxes for Paper Coating Applications

Scientists created degradable wax-like polymers that can coat paper packaging to make it water- and oil-resistant, offering an alternative to traditional plastic coatings. Unlike conventional plastic-coated paper, these coated papers can be broken down and recycled through standard paper repulping. This kind of innovation could help reduce the microplastic pollution that comes from plastic-coated packaging materials breaking down in the environment.

2024 ACS Applied Polymer Materials 22 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of New Spherical Silica as a Substitute for Microplastic Beads

This Japanese-language study describes the development of spherical silica particles as a skin-feel additive to replace microplastic beads in sunscreen and cosmetic products. Replacing synthetic microplastic beads in cosmetics with mineral-based alternatives directly prevents these particles from washing down drains and entering waterways.

2023 Journal of the Japan Society of Colour Material
Article Tier 2

Innovative Approaches to Microplastic and Nano-plastic Biodegradation

This review covers innovative biotechnological approaches to microplastic and nanoplastic biodegradation, examining the origins of these particles from larger plastic waste and intentionally manufactured microbeads. The authors assess promising biological and enzymatic strategies for accelerating breakdown of persistent plastic polymers in environmental and engineered systems.

2024 Egyptian Journal of Botany
Article Tier 2

Application Possibilities of Sustainable Nanostructured Silica-Based Materials in Cosmetics

This review explores the application of sustainable nanostructured silica-based materials in the cosmetics industry, emphasizing green synthesis methods that use plant-derived raw materials. The study highlights how these biocompatible materials could serve as alternatives to synthetic microplastic ingredients currently used in cosmetic products, potentially reducing microplastic pollution from personal care products.

2025 Cosmetics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microencapsulation of High‐Content Actives Using Biodegradable Silk Materials

Researchers developed biodegradable silk fibroin microcapsules capable of encapsulating high concentrations of active ingredients through controlled protein assembly, offering a scalable alternative to conventional non-degradable plastic microbeads used in cosmetics and consumer care products.

2022 Small 25 citations