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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Programmed biodegradation of polymer blends and composites for applications in agriculture and horticulture
ClearOn the quest for novel bio-degradable plastics for agricultural field mulching
This review examined the challenge of developing biodegradable plastic mulch materials suitable for agricultural use, noting that plasticulture consumes about 6.7 million tons of plastic annually, most of which cannot be practically recycled. The authors assessed candidate biodegradable polymers based on their degradation rates in soil, mechanical performance, and cost.
Circular use of biobased plastics in agriculture and horticulture
Researchers presented outcomes from a three-year collaborative project developing biobased and biodegradable plastic products for agriculture and horticulture, demonstrating viable pathways for recycling, industrial composting, and programmed soil biodegradation across applications including growbags and plant propagation products, while introducing an online tool to help farmers select circular plastic options that minimise microplastic accumulation.
Application of novel sustainable bio-plastic materials in horticultural production
This review covers the application of biodegradable bioplastics in horticultural production — from nursery pots and mulch films to packaging — summarizing advances in biopolymer formulation, field performance, and degradation behavior that support their use as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics.
PLA/PHB-Based Materials Fully Biodegradable under Both Industrial and Home-Composting Conditions
Researchers developed PLA-PHB bioplastic formulations with and without thermoplastic starch as a filler, targeting full biodegradability under both industrial and home composting conditions. The blends achieved comparable performance to conventional plastics in target applications and degraded under home composting temperatures without requiring industrial composting infrastructure.
The degradation of single-use plastics and commercially viable bioplastics in the environment: A review
Researchers reviewed how conventional single-use plastics degrade over decades in natural environments versus how bioplastics biodegrade, finding that while alternatives like PBS and PHA show genuine biodegradation potential, most require specific industrial composting conditions that are rarely available in practice.
Investigating the sustainability of agricultural plastic products, combined influence of polymer characteristics and environmental conditions on microplastics aging
Researchers investigated how polymer characteristics and environmental conditions influence the photodegradation of agricultural plastic products in soil. The study examined low-density polyethylene microplastic degradation under different UV radiation and humidity conditions. The findings suggest that environmental factors significantly affect how agricultural plastics break down into microplastics, with implications for understanding long-term soil contamination from farming practices.
Acceleration of Biodegradation Using Polymer Blends and Composites
This review examines how blending biodegradable polymers with other materials can tune both physical properties and biodegradation rates, noting that many biodegradable plastics degrade far more slowly than claimed. The authors stress that biodegradation claims require rigorous validation under realistic environmental conditions.
Influence of microbial biomass content on biodegradation and mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) composites
This paper is not about microplastics — it studies how adding microbial biomass (algae and cyanobacteria) to a biodegradable polyester (PHB) accelerates its degradation rate in soil.
Bioplastics in agricultural soils: Biodegradability, analytical techniques, and soil microbial impact
Researchers reviewed the evidence on how bioplastics degrade in agricultural soils, finding that commonly used analytical techniques overestimate biodegradation rates because they measure surface changes rather than full carbon mineralization, meaning biodegradable microplastic residues may persist across seasons under realistic conditions.
Impact of buried debris from agricultural biodegradable plastic mulches on two horticultural crop plants: Tomato and lettuce
Field-weathered biodegradable plastic mulch debris was added to soil in mesocosm experiments with tomato and lettuce to assess phytotoxicity. Field-weathered fragments caused different effects on plant growth than pristine or artificially weathered materials, with implications for how biodegradable mulches should be tested and regulated for agricultural safety.
Comparing the impact of microplastics derived from a biodegradable and a conventional plastic mulch on plant performance
Researchers directly compared how microplastics from biodegradable and conventional plastic mulch films affect plant growth and found that biodegradable plastic particles actually reduced plant biomass more than conventional plastic particles in some cases. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for agriculture, since their breakdown products may still harm crops that end up in the human food supply.
Embracing Nature’s Clockwork: Crafting Plastics for Degradation in Plant Agricultural Systems
This perspective examines the shift from conventional non-biodegradable plastics to biodegradable alternatives in agriculture, where plastic mulch films and other materials are widely used. Researchers discuss how bioplastics can be designed to break down on timescales that align with natural agricultural cycles. The study highlights both the promise and the remaining challenges of ensuring these materials truly degrade in soil without leaving harmful residues.
Investigating aquatic biodegradation and changes in the properties of pristine and UV-irradiated microplastics from conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastics
Researchers compared the biodegradation of conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastic mulching films in aquatic environments, testing both pristine and UV-weathered samples. The study found that while biodegradable plastics break down well under controlled composting conditions, their degradation in non-target environments like water bodies is considerably less predictable.
Biodegradation Studies of Polyhydroxybutyrate and Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-Polyhydroxyvalerate Films in Soil
Researchers studied the biodegradation properties of two bioplastic polymers, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyvalerate (PHBV), in soil under different moisture conditions. Both polymers degraded completely in fully saturated soil, with the study tracking changes in appearance, chemical signatures, mechanical properties, and molecular weight, supporting these materials as viable biodegradable alternatives to conventional petrochemical-derived plastics.
Biochar—A Filler in “Bioplastics” for Horticultural Applications
Researchers developed biochar-filled bioplastic materials for use in horticultural applications such as seedling trays and plant pots, testing their mechanical properties and biodegradability. The resulting composites showed promising performance as eco-friendly replacements for conventional plastic horticulture products.
Environmental Degradation of Plastic Composites with Natural Fillers—A Review
Researchers examined the environmental degradation of polymer composites containing natural fillers, finding that exposure to outdoor conditions accelerates biodegradation of natural components and alters the mechanical properties of the composite material. The degradation process can generate microplastic fragments as the matrix breaks down.
Field test on the biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based mulch films in soil
Researchers buried four types of supposedly biodegradable plastic mulch films — used in farming to suppress weeds — in agricultural soil for over two years and found that all four still left behind microplastic fragments. This shows that even biodegradable plastics can accumulate in soil if used repeatedly each growing season.
Degradation of a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) compound in different environments
Researchers tested how a biodegradable plastic called PHBV breaks down under different environmental conditions, including soil burial, composting, and aquatic settings. They found that degradation rates varied considerably depending on the environment, with composting conditions producing the fastest breakdown. The study confirms that while PHBV is a promising alternative to conventional plastics, its real-world degradation depends heavily on disposal conditions.
Biodegradable Polyesters in Soil - Real Environmental Hazard or Just a Storm in a Teacup?
This review critically examines whether biodegradable polyesters genuinely degrade in soil environments, finding that under field conditions many degrade slowly and incompletely, forming persistent microplastic particles ('microbioplastics') with largely unknown ecological consequences.
Advances in the Sustainable Use of Plastics in Horticulture—Perspectives, Innovations, Opportunities, and Limitations
This review assesses the sustainability of plastic use in horticulture — including mulch films, crop covers, and polytunnels — and evaluates options to reduce, reuse, recycle, or replace them. It matters for microplastics because agricultural plastics left in fields fragment into microplastics that contaminate soil and crops, and the review identifies where biodegradable or alternative materials offer the most practical substitution.
Economia Circular E Desenvolvimento Sustentável: Compostabilidade, Biodegradação E Inovação Em Biopolímeros E Compósitos Renováveis Para Aplicações Estruturais, Agrícolas E Embalagens
This review paper summarizes research on new plant-based plastics that can break down naturally in the environment, unlike regular plastics made from oil. These eco-friendly materials could replace traditional plastic in food packaging and farming, potentially reducing the tiny plastic particles that end up in our food and water. However, the technology still needs improvements and better waste management systems before these biodegradable plastics can widely replace regular plastics.
Application of Plastics in Promotion of Organic Farming
This review examines the application of plastics in organic farming, contrasting conventional polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene — which persist in soil and break down into micro- and nanoplastics — with biodegradable alternatives designed to be metabolised by soil microbes. The authors highlight that biodegradability depends on both polymer physicochemical properties and environmental conditions, underscoring the trade-offs involved in agricultural plastic choices.
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.
Unravelling the ecological ramifications of biodegradable microplastics in soil environment: A systematic review
Researchers reviewed 85 studies on biodegradable microplastics in soil, finding that when biodegradable plastics fail to fully break down they can disrupt soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial life in ways that depend heavily on concentration and plastic type. The review highlights that "biodegradable" plastics are not a simple fix for microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.