We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to A Comparative Review on Biodegradation of Poly(Lactic Acid) in Soil, Compost, Water, and Wastewater Environments: Incorporating Mathematical Modeling Perspectives
ClearDo poly(lactic acid) microplastics instigate a threat? A perception for their dynamic towards environmental pollution and toxicity
This review examines whether poly(lactic acid), a popular biodegradable plastic marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, actually poses environmental risks as it breaks down into microplastics. Researchers found that PLA only degrades fully under specific industrial composting conditions with high temperatures and moisture, and may persist much longer in natural environments. The study calls for deeper investigation into the environmental fate and potential toxicity of PLA microplastics as their use continues to grow.
Microbial Degradation of Polylactic Acid Bioplastic
This review covers how microorganisms degrade polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic under different environmental conditions. Understanding PLA biodegradation is important for assessing whether PLA products actually break down as intended in real-world environments rather than persisting as microplastics.
Mineralization and microbial utilization of poly(lactic acid) microplastic in soil
Researchers tracked how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a common biodegradable plastic, actually break down in different agricultural soils. They found that standard testing methods significantly overestimate how quickly PLA degrades because they fail to account for interactions with soil organic matter. The study reveals that PLA microplastics may persist longer in some soils than previously thought, raising questions about how truly biodegradable these materials are in real-world conditions.
Polylactic acid synthesis, biodegradability, conversion to microplastics and toxicity: a review
Researchers reviewed polylactic acid (PLA), a popular plant-based "biodegradable" plastic used in packaging and agriculture, finding that while it breaks down inside the body, it does not fully degrade under natural outdoor or aquatic conditions — and in fact fragments into microplastics faster than conventional petroleum-based plastics. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are a straightforward environmental solution.
Review on the Biological Degradation of Polymers in Various Environments
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.
State of the art on biodegradability of bio-based plastics containing polylactic acid
This review examines whether bio-based plastics made from polylactic acid (PLA) actually break down in the environment as intended. While certain microorganisms can degrade PLA, the process is slow and depends heavily on conditions like temperature and moisture. The findings matter because if bio-based plastics do not fully break down, they can still fragment into microplastics, posing many of the same environmental and health risks as conventional plastics.
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.
Review of the Synthesis and Degradation Mechanisms of Some Biodegradable Polymers in Natural Environments
This review examined how biodegradable polymers like PLA, starch-based plastics, and plant fiber composites break down in natural environments. Researchers found that degradation is primarily driven by microorganisms that produce specialized enzymes to break polymer chains into smaller pieces for digestion. The study highlights that factors such as temperature, humidity, polymer structure, and the specific enzymes involved all significantly influence how quickly these materials decompose.
Decomposition Behavior of Stereocomplex PLA Melt-Blown Fine Fiber Mats in Water and in Compost
Researchers examined the decomposition behavior of stereocomplex polylactic acid (PLA) melt-blown fine fiber mats when exposed to both water and compost environments to assess their biodegradability. The study characterized how the stereocomplex PLA structure influences degradation rates and mechanisms under aquatic versus composting conditions, relevant to understanding the environmental fate of this biodegradable polymer in different disposal pathways.
Impact of moisture on the degradation and priming effects of poly(lactic acid) microplastic
Researchers examined how soil moisture levels affect the degradation of biodegradable poly(lactic acid) microplastics and their influence on soil organic carbon decomposition. The study found that moisture significantly increased PLA degradation in acidic soils, and PLA induced both positive and negative priming effects on native soil carbon depending on moisture levels and soil type.
Bioabsorbable Characteristics of Poly (Lactic Acid) (PLA) for a Fundamental Solution to the Problem of Microplastics Tea Bag SOILON® Made from PLA Fibers
This review examines the biodegradation characteristics of polylactic acid (PLA) materials, discussing the enzymatic and environmental conditions needed for effective breakdown and evaluating PLA's potential as a genuinely biodegradable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.
3D-printed polylactic acid biopolymer and textile fibers: comparing the degradation process
3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) objects and PLA textile fibers were compared in their degradation behavior under composting and environmental conditions. Both materials degraded over time but at different rates depending on their physical form and surface area. The study provides insights into how PLA-based products break down and whether they produce persistent microplastic residues.
Transformation of Polylactic Acid (PLA) Microparticles in Soil and their Effects on Soil Properties: A Review
This review examined how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics transform in soil over time and affect soil physical, chemical, and biological properties including pH, organic matter, nutrient cycling, and microbial communities, highlighting the complexities of PLA as a supposedly biodegradable agricultural plastic.
Hydrolyzable microplastics in soil—low biodegradation but formation of a specific microbial habitat?
Hydrolyzable microplastics such as polylactic acid showed low biodegradation in soil despite their marketed degradability, while their surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities forming a specialized plastisphere. The study questions the environmental safety of biodegradable plastics in agricultural soil contexts.
Biodegradation of Different Types of Bioplastics through Composting—A Recent Trend in Green Recycling
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.
Assessing the Biodegradation Characteristics of Poly(Butylene Succinate) and Poly(Lactic Acid) Formulations Under Controlled Composting Conditions
Researchers assessed the biodegradation of PLA and PBS biopolymer films and granules under controlled composting conditions over six months. PLA-based materials showed limited degradation while PBS degraded more substantially, highlighting that compostability varies significantly among bioplastics and may be insufficient under real-world composting conditions.
Advances in environmental degradation and impact of degradable plastics
This review clarifies definitions and classifications of degradable plastics and summarizes their degradation characteristics in water, soil, aerobic composting, and anaerobic digestion environments, finding that degradability remains conditional and dependent on specific polymer type, temperature, and duration. The authors also assess the potential environmental and biological impacts of microplastic fragments and additive byproducts released during degradation.
Numerical framework for anaerobic digestion and/or composting of bioplastics and organic waste performance evaluation under real-like large scale operating conditions
Researchers used computer modeling to simulate how well certified biodegradable plastics — including PLA cups and starch-based bags — actually break down in real anaerobic digestion and composting facilities, finding that industrial composting alone only degrades 42–44% of PLA in 28 days. The study warns that current waste infrastructure may not be sufficient to handle the growing volumes of bioplastics, potentially leading to microplastic-like contamination of compost and soil.
Monitoring polymer degradation under different conditions in the marine environment
Researchers simulated four marine environmental conditions over one year and found that biobased plastics like polylactic acid degrade up to five times faster in seafloor sediment than in the water column, while conventional plastics showed little degradation difference across conditions.
Degradation of polylactide microplastics in the marine environment under low temperature and in fine-grained sediments - a laboratory scale evaluation
Researchers tested whether polylactide (PLA), a plant-based plastic marketed as compostable, actually breaks down in cold marine environments, finding it barely degraded in cold seawater and not at all in oxygen-deprived deep sediments — meaning improperly discarded PLA can persist in the ocean and contribute to nanoplastic pollution just like conventional plastics.
Anaerobic Degradation of Aromatic and Aliphatic Biodegradable Plastics: Potential Mechanisms and Pathways.
This study examined how biodegradable plastics — PBAT and PLA — break down under anaerobic conditions in digestion systems, finding that microbial communities degrade them through distinct biochemical pathways. Understanding how biodegradable plastics decompose in real-world conditions like landfills and wastewater treatment is important for evaluating whether they truly degrade safely.
The aging behavior of degradable plastic polylactic acid under the interaction of environmental factors
Researchers used response surface methodology to study how temperature, light, and humidity interact to accelerate the aging and breakdown of polylactic acid, a common biodegradable plastic. The study found that humidity had the greatest effect on PLA degradation, followed by light and temperature. Evidence indicates that even biodegradable plastics can release microplastic particles as they age under environmental conditions, posing potential ecological concerns.
Comparison of the aerobic biodegradation of biopolymers and the corresponding bioplastics: A review
Researchers compared how quickly biodegradable bioplastics break down in soil versus their natural parent materials — like starch, cellulose, and lignin — finding that chemical modifications made during manufacturing significantly change which microbes and enzymes are needed for degradation. The review concludes that lab-based biodegradation studies often miss real-world complexity, and long-term field experiments are urgently needed to validate biodegradability claims for bioplastics.
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.