Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Efektivitas Pelepah Pinang (Areca catechu) dan Ampas Tebu (Saccharum officinarum) dalam Pembuatan Bio-Styrofoam

Researchers investigated the feasibility of making bio-styrofoam from areca nut (pinang) fronds and sugarcane bagasse as an eco-friendly alternative to expanded polystyrene. The natural fibre composites achieved mechanical and thermal properties suitable for food service packaging while avoiding the microplastic generation and toxicological risks of conventional styrofoam.

2025 Jurnal Integrasi Sains dan Qur an (JISQu)
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Waste Recycling Process as an Alternative Antistatic Packaging Raw Material

Researchers synthesized a composite from recycled polystyrene and coconut shell carbon black that could serve as antistatic packaging material, demonstrating a value-added use for styrofoam waste.

2023 E3S Web of Conferences
Article Tier 2

Analisis Sifat Fisis dan Mekanik Biodegradable Foam Berbahan Dasar Selulosa Jerami Padi dan Polivinyl Alcohol

This paper is not about microplastics — it reports on the physical and mechanical properties of biodegradable foam made from rice straw cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol as a potential alternative to styrofoam, focusing on material science rather than microplastic pollution or health impacts.

2023 Jurnal Fisika Unand
Article Tier 2

Environmental implications of styrofoam waste and its utilization as lightweight fill material for embankment construction

Researchers investigated the environmental problems caused by styrofoam waste and explored whether it could be repurposed as a lightweight fill material for construction embankments. They found that incorporating styrofoam into embankment construction improved structural performance while diverting waste from landfills. The study suggests that reusing styrofoam in civil engineering could help address both waste management and construction challenges.

2024 E3S Web of Conferences 7 citations
Article Tier 2

African Journal of Biomedical Research

This paper examines the environmental persistence of Styrofoam, a widely used polystyrene plastic, and reviews health risks from styrene release during degradation, as well as microplastic accumulation in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

2025
Article Tier 2

Development of Eco-Friendly Packaging Films from Soyhull Lignocellulose: Towards Valorizing Agro-Industrial Byproducts

Researchers developed a biodegradable packaging film from soyhull waste, a byproduct of the soybean industry, as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The film showed good barrier and mechanical properties suitable for food packaging applications. This type of innovation is important because replacing conventional plastic packaging with biodegradable alternatives could reduce the generation of microplastics that contaminate food and the environment.

2024 Foods 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Development of Biodegradable Rigid Foams from Pineapple Field Waste

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper develops biodegradable rigid foam materials from pineapple agricultural waste (starch and cellulose) as a sustainable packaging alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

2023 Polymers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

A Biodegradable Bamboo-Based Foam as a Cleaner Alternative to Petroleum-Based Cushioning Materials for Sustainable Fruit Packaging

Scientists created a new packaging foam made from bamboo that works just as well as plastic foam for protecting fruit during shipping, but completely breaks down in compost instead of creating lasting waste. This matters because traditional plastic packaging foams don't decompose and break into tiny pieces called microplastics that can end up in our food and water. The bamboo foam could help reduce our exposure to these harmful plastic particles while still keeping our food safe during transport.

2026 Polymers
Article Tier 2

Synthesis and characterization of a biodegradable film from eggshell and green banana starch

Researchers synthesized and characterized a biodegradable film using eggshell and green banana starch as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, evaluating its material properties as part of an effort to address plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production.

2024 Minerva Digital Library (Universidad EAN)
Article Tier 2

Valorization of wood pulp to mechanically strong and biodegradable packaging foams by wet foaming process

Researchers developed biodegradable packaging foams from wood pulp and lignin using a wet foaming process, optimizing surfactant concentration and foaming time to achieve densities as low as 0.013 g/cm3 and porosities up to 99.2% as sustainable alternatives to expanded polystyrene.

2024
Article Tier 2

Preparation and Study of a Waste Corrugated Cardboard Fiber‐Based Foamed Material With Good Hydrophobicity and Flame‐Retardant Properties

Researchers fabricated biomass foams from waste corrugated cardboard fibres using a microwave-assisted foaming technique, investigating the synergistic effects of silane fibre modification and kaolin doping on mechanical, hydrophobic, and flame-retardant properties. The optimised foam achieved a compressive stress of 0.53 MPa at 50% strain, a 20.1% reduction in water absorption, and a 34.7% increase in limiting oxygen index compared to conventional foams, presenting a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based cushioning materials.

2025 Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Article Tier 2

A sustainable acoustic customization of open porous materials using recycled plastics

Researchers developed a sustainable foamy acoustic material by incorporating recycled marine microplastic waste — polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) — into a bio-based matrix, characterizing samples of different compositions for sound absorption and thermal insulation properties.

2022 Scientific Reports 17 citations
Article Tier 2

PET foaming: development of a new class of rheological additives for improved processability

This paper describes development of rheological additives to improve PET foaming for lightweight packaging, as an alternative to hard-to-recycle foamed polystyrene. Replacing polystyrene foam with more recyclable materials is important for reducing ocean microplastic pollution from packaging waste.

2023 Materials research proceedings
Article Tier 2

Development and Characterization of Reinforced Flexible Packaging Based on Amazonian Cassava Starch Through Flat Sheet Extrusion

Scientists created eco-friendly food packaging from cassava starch (a plant-based material) mixed with natural ingredients like beeswax and plantain leaf fibers. This new packaging is much stronger and better at keeping moisture out than regular plant-based plastics, making it a promising replacement for petroleum-based plastic bags. This matters because it could help reduce plastic pollution while still protecting our food effectively.

2026 Polymers
Article Tier 2

Análisis Integrado de Eficiencia y Viabilidad Ambiental en Tratamientos Fisicoquímicos de Residuos de EPS para su Reintegración Industrial Sostenible

Scientists tested different ways to recycle expanded polystyrene foam (the white foam used in packaging and takeout containers) to keep it out of landfills and the environment. They found that using heated D-Limonene, a natural chemical from citrus peels, was the most effective and environmentally-friendly method to break down the foam for reuse. This matters because it could help reduce plastic waste that breaks down into harmful microplastics in our environment and food chain.

2026 Ibero Ciencias - Revista Científica y Académica - ISSN 3072-7197
Article Tier 2

Recent Developments in Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Based Biocomposites and Their Potential Industrial Applications: A Comprehensive Review

This review covered recent advances in cassava-based biocomposites and biopolymers as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, surveying applications in packaging, agriculture, and construction. Cassava starch and its derivatives showed versatile performance when blended with other natural polymers or reinforced with natural fibers.

2022 Materials 55 citations
Review Tier 2

A Review of Potency of Cassava Peel Waste and Seaweed Carrageenan as Environmentally Friendly Bioplastic

This Indonesian review examines the potential of cassava peel waste and seaweed carrageenan as raw materials for making biodegradable bioplastics. Replacing conventional plastic packaging with plant-based alternatives could reduce the microplastic particles that accumulate in soil and water from degrading conventional plastics.

2023 International Journal of Hydrological and Environmental for Sustainability 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Acoustic and thermal characterization of a novel sustainable material incorporating recycled microplastic waste

Researchers created a new eco-friendly foam material by embedding recovered marine microplastics into a bio-based matrix, producing an open-cell insulating material with strong acoustic and thermal properties. The innovation offers a potential path to upcycle hard-to-recycle mixed marine plastic waste into useful building and industrial insulation products.

2021 Sustainable materials and technologies 52 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation and application of a polyethylene foam packaging material

This review examines the preparation, modification, and application of polyethylene foam as a packaging material, discussing its lightweight, insulating, and shock-absorbing properties alongside the environmental and recycling challenges its widespread use creates. The authors propose approaches to address sustainability concerns while maintaining the performance characteristics that make polyethylene foam central to the modern packaging industry.

2024 Academic Journal of Materials & Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Sorbitol-Based Biodegradable Plastics from Rubberized Cassava Starch and Tofu Dregs Starch

Not relevant to microplastics — this study develops biodegradable plastic from cassava starch and tofu dregs with sorbitol as a plasticizer, focused on creating a petroleum-free alternative material rather than addressing microplastic contamination.

2024 Journal of Ecological Engineering 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-based foams with low density and thermal conductivity through ethyl cellulose and SiO2 stabilized Pickering emulsion templating

Researchers developed fully bio-based foams using ethyl cellulose and SiO2 to stabilize Pickering emulsions as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastic foams that shed microplastics. Optimized curing conditions (80°C, 3h, 3% benzoyl peroxide) produced low-density, low-thermal-conductivity porous foams with potential to replace conventional plastic foams in insulation and packaging.

2025 International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Styrofoam Waste-based Membrane Through Vapor and Liquid-induced Phase Inversion Process

Researchers prepared polymeric membranes from recycled Styrofoam waste using a phase-inversion technique with either immersion or evaporation solidification, finding that the solidification method significantly influenced hydrophobicity, pore configuration, porosity, and thermal stability of the resulting membranes.

2023 Jurnal Kimia Riset 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of Commercial Viability of Eco-friendly Alternatives to Traditional Floral Foam and Their Effects on Vase Life of Five Species of Cut Flowers

This horticultural study evaluates eco-friendly alternatives to traditional floral foam, a significant source of microplastic pollution, finding that some sustainable substitutes maintain cut flower vase life comparably to conventional foam. Replacing plastic-based floral foam could reduce microplastic contamination of garden and waterway soils.

2023 HortTechnology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics release from victuals packaging materials during daily usage

Researchers investigated microplastic release from food packaging materials during daily usage, with a focus on polystyrene foam containers. The study found that these containers release microplastic particles during routine handling, heating, and food contact, suggesting that food packaging is a significant and direct source of human microplastic exposure.

2021 EcoMat 68 citations