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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Degradation Characteristics of Reed-Based PBAT Mulch and Their Effects on Plant Growth and Soil Properties
ClearBiodegradable Poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)/Poly(lactic) Acid Mulch Film with Soy Waste Filler for Improved Biodegradation and Plant Growth
Researchers developed biodegradable mulch films from PBAT/PLA blended with 10% soy waste filler, finding that soy incorporation enhanced hydrolysis and mineralization during accelerated aging while improving mulch performance and plant growth outcomes in field trials.
Enhanced Biodegradation Rate of Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) Composites Using Reed Fiber
Researchers blended reed plant fibers with a biodegradable plastic called PBAT to create a composite material that breaks down faster in the environment. They tested the composite with four different enzymes and found that adding reed fiber significantly accelerated degradation rates. The study suggests that incorporating natural plant fibers into biodegradable plastics could help reduce the persistence of plastic waste.
Poly (butylene adipate terephthalate) degradation products and their influence on plant progression and soil microbial diversity
This study examined how the biodegradable plastic PBAT degrades in soil and what effects its degradation products have on Chinese cabbage growth and soil microbial diversity, finding that degradation varied with particle size and that soil microbiomes shifted as PBAT broke down. The findings matter for assessing whether "biodegradable" mulch films truly disappear benignly or leave behind microplastic fragments and microbial disruption in agricultural soils.
Response of soybean and maize roots and soil enzyme activities to biodegradable microplastics contaminated soil
Researchers tested how biodegradable microplastics from PBAT plastic film affect soybean and maize root growth and soil health. They found that higher concentrations of these microplastics in soil reduced root length, surface area, and biomass in soybean by up to 34%, while also altering key soil enzyme activities. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastic residues in agricultural soil may disrupt plant growth and nutrient cycling.
Composted PBST Biodegradable Mulch Film Residues Enhance Crop Development: Insights into Microbial Community Assembly, Network Interactions, and Soil Metabolism
Researchers studied how composting residues from PBST biodegradable mulch film affect crop development, soil microbial communities, and soil metabolism. The study found that while biodegradable mulch films are designed to break down completely, their residues can persist and transform into microplastics, though composting these residues appeared to enhance crop development through changes in microbial community assembly and soil metabolic processes.
Effects of aging behavior of biodegradable mulch on soil microbial community composition: An offline simulation study
Researchers conducted a 60-day outdoor aging test on four formulations of biodegradable PBAT mulch film and found that starch additions accelerated mechanical breakdown while PLA additions slowed it, with aged mulch shifting soil fungal communities toward Mortierella but producing no detectable harmful effects on soil health.
Reed Fiber as a Sustainable Filler for Tuning the Biodegradability of Polylactic acid Composites
Researchers prepared reed fiber/polylactic acid (PLA/RF) composite films via melt blending and blow molding, finding that increasing reed fiber content tuned the biodegradation rate of PLA in the presence of proteinase K, with DSC, SEM, and FTIR analyses revealing changes in crystallization behavior and surface morphology during enzymatic degradation.
The fate of post-use biodegradable PBAT-based mulch films buried in agricultural soil
Scientists tracked the breakdown of a biodegradable mulch film in farm soil over 16 months and found that while the film lost more than half its surface area, it released microplastics into the surrounding soil during the process. About 17-23% of the original film material was still recoverable from the soil after nearly 500 days. The study shows that even biodegradable plastics can be a source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Development of mulch films from biodegradable polymer and agro-industrial waste
Biodegradable mulch films were developed from poly(butylene-adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) incorporating soybean and peanut hull agro-industrial wastes as alternative to conventional plastic mulches. The agro-waste additives improved film hydrophobicity but increased water absorption values, with mechanical and thermal properties characterized across different formulations.
Soil Properties as Key Determinants for the Biodegradation Kinetics of Polymer Blends in Indian Agroecosystems
Soil properties such as pH, texture, and organic matter content were identified as key determinants of how quickly biodegradable plastics break down in different soils. The findings explain why biodegradable plastics may persist much longer in some soils than expected based on manufacturer claims.
Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
Five biodegradable plastic mulch materials were tested under laboratory conditions, with results showing highly variable degradation rates and completeness, raising questions about whether products marketed as biodegradable actually break down fully in field conditions.
Are mulch biofilms used in agriculture an environmentally friendly solution? - An insight into their biodegradability and ecotoxicity using key organisms in soil ecosystems
Researchers assessed the biodegradation and ecotoxicity of a commercial biodegradable mulch biofilm in soil systems. The study found that while marketed as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastic mulch, biodegradable films did not fully degrade under natural soil conditions as certification standards would predict. The results suggest that more rigorous testing under realistic field conditions is needed before assuming these products are safe for soil ecosystems.
Does the Incorporation of Biochar into Biodegradable Mulch Films Provide Agricultural Soil Benefits?
Researchers tested whether incorporating biochar into biodegradable plastic mulch films provides agricultural or environmental benefits compared to standard biodegradable mulch. Biochar addition improved some soil properties and degradation behavior but results were mixed across different crop and soil conditions.
Selection of p-nitrophenyl fatty acid substrate suitable for detecting changes in soil esterase activity associated with degradation of biodegradable polyester mulch films: A field trial
Researchers tested different enzyme substrates to detect microbial activity during biodegradation of polyester biodegradable mulch films in farm fields. Developing sensitive methods to monitor plastic biodegradation in soils is important for verifying that biodegradable alternatives actually break down as claimed.
Effect of conventional and biodegradable microplastics on the soil-soybean system: A perspective on rhizosphere microbial community and soil element cycling
This study compared how conventional polyethylene microplastics and biodegradable alternatives (PBAT and PLA) affect soil bacteria and nutrient cycling in soybean fields. The biodegradable microplastics actually caused more harm to soybean growth than conventional ones, reducing shoot biomass by up to 34% and disrupting nitrogen availability in soil. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always better for the environment and raises questions about their impact on agricultural productivity and food security.
Biodegradable PBAT microplastics adversely affect pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) growth and the rhizosphere ecology: Focusing on rhizosphere microbial community composition, element metabolic potential, and root exudates
Researchers compared biodegradable PBAT plastic microplastics with conventional polyethylene microplastics in soil and found that the biodegradable version actually caused more harm to plant growth and soil health. PBAT microplastics reduced nutrient availability, disrupted the soil microbial community, and altered root chemistry more than conventional plastic. This finding challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for the environment.
Biodegradable and biobased mulch residues had limited impacts on soil properties but reduced yield of the following crop in a low fertility soil
Researchers incorporated residues from two biodegradable mulch films and compost into a low-fertility soil and measured effects on soil properties and vegetable crop yield over one season, finding limited soil property changes but reduced yields in the following crop. The results suggest that while biodegradable mulch residues do not degrade soil chemistry, slow decomposition may temporarily affect crop productivity.
Effect of Long-Term Biodegradable Film Mulch on Soil Physicochemical and Microbial Properties
Long-term use of biodegradable mulch film was compared to conventional plastic and no-mulch controls in terms of soil physical, chemical, and microbial properties, with results showing that biodegradable mulch altered soil structure and microbial diversity in ways differing from both conventional plastic and bare soil. The findings raise questions about the cumulative effects of biodegradable plastic residues on agricultural soil health.
Effects of polyethylene and poly (butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) contamination on soil respiration and carbon sequestration
A field experiment found that both conventional LDPE and biodegradable PBAT microplastics altered soil respiration, organic carbon fractions, and carbon sequestration in soybean-planted soils, with effects varying by plastic type, size, and concentration.
Effects of a mixture of mulching film microplastics on soil properties, microbial activities, and plants in terrestrial mesocosms with and without earthworms
Researchers assessed the effects of a mixture of conventional polyethylene and biodegradable PBAT mulching film microplastics on soil ecosystems using terrestrial mesocosms. The study found that microplastics increased soil compaction and stimulated microbial respiration while reducing nitrogen cycling, and although plant growth appeared unaffected, biochemical analysis revealed oxidative stress responses in lettuce at the molecular level.
Degradation of Biodegradable Mulch-Derived Microplastics and Their Effects on Bacterial Communities and Radish Growth in Three Vegetable-Cultivated Purple Soils
Biodegradable mulch films are increasingly used in agriculture as a "greener" alternative to conventional plastic, but their breakdown products — biodegradable microplastics — still have significant effects on soil and crops. A pot experiment across three soil types found that both conventional and biodegradable microplastics altered soil bacteria communities, with biodegradable plastics notably promoting the growth of specific plastic-degrading bacteria. Importantly, the effects on soil chemistry and radish growth varied substantially depending on soil type, suggesting that blanket recommendations about biodegradable mulch safety are premature without site-specific assessment.
Quantitative methodology for poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastic detection in soil and compost
Researchers developed a quantitative methodology for detecting poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastics in soil and compost matrices, addressing the need to monitor biodegradable mulch film fragmentation and mineralization in agricultural environments. The method enabled accurate measurement of PBAT microplastic concentrations across environmentally relevant matrices, providing a tool to assess the fate of biodegradable plastics in agroecosystems.
Unveiling the impact of soil depth on degradation of durable nanocomposite mulch-derived residue migration dynamics in plant ecosystems
Researchers studied how a self-degradable mulch film made from polylactic acid and hydrophobically modified nanocellulose behaves at different soil depths. The mulch increased soil moisture, promoted plant growth, and degraded faster than pure PLA, with degradation rate varying by soil depth. The study demonstrates that nanocomposite mulch films can reduce plastic pollution through effective biodegradation while supporting soil and plant health, though ecological risk assessments are recommended before large-scale use.
Effects of compost, cover crops, and local conditions on degradation of two agricultural mulches in soil
This field study examined how quickly biodegradable plastic mulches degrade in agricultural soil under different organic management practices including compost application and cover crops. Compost and biological soil amendment accelerated degradation in some conditions. Faster degradation of biodegradable mulches would reduce the accumulation of microplastic fragments in farmland soil.