Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The Polymers/Composites/3Bs Materials 2023 International Joint Conference Proceedings

This is not about microplastics — it is a conference proceedings paper covering biopolymer and cellulose composite materials research, focused on natural and sustainable material development with no specific focus on microplastic pollution or health risks.

2024 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Polymer-Based Natural Fiber Composites

This review examined biodegradable polymer composites reinforced with natural fibers as alternatives to conventional plastics. Combining biodegradable matrices with plant fibers improved mechanical performance while maintaining degradability and reducing the risk of persistent microplastic contamination. These materials represent a promising direction for sustainable packaging and construction applications.

2022 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Biodegradable Biocomposites Reinforced With Natural Fibers: A Review on Processing, Properties, and Degradation

As concern grows about plastic waste and microplastic pollution from synthetic polymers, this review examines biodegradable biocomposites reinforced with natural plant fibers as a more sustainable alternative. The authors find that these materials can match or exceed the mechanical performance of conventional plastics while actually degrading in the environment — but note a critical gap: lab biodegradation tests often do not reflect real-world conditions, creating uncertainty about how quickly these materials actually break down. Better standardized testing and lifecycle analysis are needed to confirm whether natural fiber biocomposites can genuinely replace conventional plastics at industrial scale.

2026 Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Article Tier 2

Enhancing Packaging Sustainability with Natural Fiber Reinforced Biocomposites: An outlook into the future

This review examines natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites — made from agricultural waste and plant fibers — as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based packaging materials, discussing manufacturing techniques, recent advances, and remaining challenges for wider adoption across food and consumer goods packaging.

2023 E3S Web of Conferences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Eco-Friendly Hemp-Fiber-Reinforced Recycled HDPE Composites

Researchers developed hemp-fiber-reinforced recycled HDPE composites from postconsumer plastic waste, demonstrating that these sustainable biocomposites can serve as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional wood-plastic composite products.

2023 Journal of Composites Science 44 citations
Article Tier 2

Properties and Applications of Composites Reinforced with Natural Fibers – a Brief Review

This review examines the properties and applications of natural lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced composites as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic fiber composites. Natural fiber composites are biodegradable alternatives to glass and carbon fiber plastics, which can generate microplastic debris when they break down.

2023 Journal of Engineering Research 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Prevention of Biofouling Due to Water Absorption of Natural Fiber Composites in the Aquatic Environment: A Critical Review

This review examines how natural fiber composites used in boats and marine structures absorb water and become damaged by marine organisms over time. While focused on engineering materials rather than health effects, the study is relevant to microplastic research because degrading composite materials in aquatic environments can release plastic particles and chemical additives into the water. Understanding how these materials break down helps identify an often-overlooked source of microplastic pollution in marine environments.

2024 Journal of Composites Science 13 citations
Article Tier 2

Compatibility of Polymer/Fiber to Enhance the Wood Plastic Composite Properties and their Applications

This review examined how fiber compatibility affects the properties of wood-plastic composite materials, which combine natural fibers with plastic matrices for construction and other uses. Developing better bio-composite materials can help reduce reliance on pure plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution.

2021 Egyptian Journal of Chemistry 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Performance Spectrum of Home-Compostable Biopolymer Fibers Compared to a Petrochemical Alternative

Researchers compared home-compostable biopolymer fibers to conventional petrochemical alternatives, evaluating their mechanical performance and degradability to assess whether biobased materials can serve as viable substitutes that reduce microplastic pollution.

2023 Polymers 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Possible Contaminants from Sustainable Materials Intended for Food Contact

This paper has limited direct relevance to microplastics; it evaluates chemical contaminants that can migrate from sustainable natural-material food packaging into food and beverages, though its focus is on bio-based packaging alternatives rather than plastic particle pollution.

2024 Sustainability 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose Filled With Hydroxyapatite Biocomposite Film

Despite its title referencing cellulose biocomposite film, this paper studies the development of biodegradable packaging materials as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics — not microplastic pollution itself. It examines the thermal, mechanical, and water-resistance properties of cellulose-hydroxyapatite films and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Biopolymers 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of physical properties of microalgae‐pectin‐based bio‐composite with addition of pine needle for environmental application

This paper is not directly about microplastics — it investigates the physical properties of a bio-composite material made from microalgae, pectin, and pine needles as a potential alternative to petroleum-based plastics, without studying microplastic pollution or environmental impacts.

2024 Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-Adhesives Combined with Lotus Leaf Fiber to Prepare Bio-Composites for Substituting the Plastic Packaging Materials

Researchers prepared biodegradable composite packaging materials by combining natural bio-adhesives with lotus leaf fiber, testing mechanical and thermal properties. Natural fiber composites offer an alternative to petroleum-based plastic packaging that would not generate persistent microplastic pollution.

2021 JOURNAL OF RENEWABLE MATERIALS 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Overview of Jute Fibre as Thermoplastic Matrix Polymer Reinforcement

This review examined jute fiber as a reinforcement material in thermoplastic matrix polymer composites, tracing growing research interest aligned with sustainable development goals. Jute's renewability and biodegradability make it an increasingly studied alternative to synthetic fibers for reducing environmental pollution from composite waste.

2024 JOURNAL OF RENEWABLE MATERIALS 7 citations
Article Tier 2

El desarrollo de plástico biodegradable a partir del cáñamo por estímulo microbiano

Researchers developed a biodegradable plastic using hemp (Cannabis sativa) fiber in conjunction with microbial stimulation, exploiting the structural properties of the hemp stalk fiber as a biopolymer matrix. The study demonstrated the technical feasibility of producing plant-derived bioplastics as an alternative to petroleum-based polymers contributing to microplastic pollution.

2024 Revista Tecnología en Marcha
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Polymers: The Future of Sustainable Plastic Alternatives

This review examines biodegradable polymers as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, evaluating their potential to reduce microplastic pollution and ecological degradation. The authors assess the performance, environmental fate, and scalability of current biodegradable materials, identifying key challenges for widespread adoption across packaging and consumer product applications.

2025 Scriptora International Journal of Research and Innovation (SIJRI)
Article Tier 2

Biobased Polymer Composites: A Review

This review surveyed the development of biobased polymer composites using natural fibers like hemp, flax, and sisal, highlighting their potential as sustainable alternatives to synthetic materials while discussing challenges in mechanical performance and processing.

2022 Journal of Composites Science 123 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable Packaging : a Key to Environmental Sustainability

This paper reviews biodegradable packaging alternatives to conventional plastics, arguing that plant-based materials can reduce microplastic pollution in oceans, soil, and food systems. The authors survey available materials and manufacturing methods as part of a broader case for environmental sustainability.

2024 International Association of Biologicals and Computational Digest
Article Tier 2

Nanostructured lignin carriers for efficient flame retardant delivery in natural rubber composites

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper describes using bio-based lignin nanocontainers to deliver a flame retardant in natural rubber composites, improving fire resistance and mechanical properties; it does not address microplastic pollution, environmental contamination, or health effects.

2026 Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

A Study of Plant-Filled Polymer Composites Based on Highly Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a polymer materials study developing plant-filled PVC composites (using spruce flour, birch flour, and rice husk as fillers) to improve the ecological profile of PVC products, with testing of mechanical and thermal properties.

2024 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of fish myofibrillar protein and apple pectin–konjac glucomannan on the physical, thermal, and micro-structural properties of biodegradable blend film

Despite its title referencing biodegradable film and biopolymers, this paper studies the physical and thermal properties of food packaging films made from fish protein, apple pectin, and konjac glucomannan — not microplastic pollution. It examines how varying protein concentration affects film mechanical performance and UV-blocking ability, and is not directly relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 International Journal of Food Science & Technology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable biomaterials based on cellulose, chitin and chitosan composites - A review

Researchers reviewed advances in making sustainable composite materials from cellulose, chitin, and chitosan — abundant natural polymers found in plants and shellfish — as biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastics that contribute to microplastic pollution. The review covers how these biopolymers can be dissolved and combined into fibers, films, and gels for a wide range of environmentally friendly applications.

2021 Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications 117 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Composites with different Reinforced Natural Fibers – A Comparative Study

This is a materials science study comparing the mechanical properties of polypropylene composites reinforced with five different natural plant fibers; it is not a microplastics research paper.

2023 Journal of Ecological Engineering 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Innovations and Challenges in Biodegradable Textile Materials: A Review of PLA, PHA and Natural Fibers in Sustainable Fashion

This review examines biodegradable textile alternatives, including polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and natural fibers like hemp and bamboo, that could reduce microplastic pollution from the fashion industry. While these materials offer environmental advantages, challenges remain around high production costs, performance limitations, and lack of recycling infrastructure. The authors highlight innovations in biopolymer blends and eco-friendly dyeing that could accelerate adoption of textiles that do not shed persistent microplastic fibers.

2025 International Journal of Textile Science 6 citations