Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable plastics in the air and soil environment: Low degradation rate and high microplastics formation

Researchers compared the degradation rates of various biodegradable plastic types in natural air and soil environments over time, finding that most degraded slowly under ambient conditions and generated substantial microplastic fragments, with non-certified biodegradable plastics showing essentially no degradation.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 232 citations
Article Tier 2

In-soil degradation of polymer materials waste – A survey of different approaches in relation with environmental impact

This review surveys the in-soil degradation of polymer materials — including natural fibers, synthetic plastics, and composites — examining how environmental factors such as UV radiation, microorganisms, moisture, and temperature drive degradation and influence the environmental impact of plastic waste in terrestrial ecosystems.

2022 BioResources 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of Biodegradable Microplastics under Artificially Controlled Aging Conditions with UV Radiation

Researchers subjected biodegradable plastics to controlled UV aging and found that they fragmented into microplastics faster than conventional plastics under simulated outdoor conditions. Biodegradable plastics are promoted as an eco-friendly alternative, but this study shows they may actually create microplastic pollution more rapidly in real-world environments. The findings raise important questions about whether biodegradable plastics are a genuine solution to plastic pollution.

2023 Journal of Biomedical Research & Environmental Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

After the sun: a nanoscale comparison of the surface chemical composition of UV and soil weathered plastics

Researchers used nanoscale surface analysis to compare how UV light and soil burial weather the chemical composition of plastics differently, finding that each exposure type produces distinct surface changes. These differences affect how plastics interact with surrounding environments, including how they may adsorb or release contaminants as microplastics in nature.

2023 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 9 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Environmental Pollution 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive Understanding on the Aging Process and Mechanism of Microplastics in the Sediment–Water Interface: Untangling the Role of Photoaging and Biodegradation

Researchers examined how microplastics break down at the boundary between water and sediment in coastal wetlands, comparing the roles of sunlight-driven aging and biological degradation. They found that photoaging was the dominant process, accounting for over 55% of surface changes, and that biodegradable plastics aged faster than conventional ones. The study provides important insights into how microplastics transform in real-world coastal environments.

2024 Environmental Science & Technology 36 citations
Article Tier 2

The characteristic change of plastic film from common used packing bags under UV photodegradation

Researchers studied how UV light degrades plastic packaging films over time, finding that photodegradation causes surface cracking and chemical changes that progressively break plastic into smaller fragments, including microplastics. The findings help explain how discarded plastic packaging contributes to microplastic accumulation in the marine environment.

2020 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The effect of biodegradable plastics on microplastic accumulation and exposure

Researchers developed a comprehensive method to quantify microplastic accumulation from biodegradable polymers in natural environments, examining whether biodegradable alternatives actually reduce plastic loads compared to conventional polymers under real-world outdoor conditions.

2025 Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling
Article Tier 2

Comparing the Biodegradability of Petroleum-based Plastic with a Novel, Sustainable Bio-plastic Alternative

Researchers developed a novel bioplastic from bamboo tannins and chitosan and compared its biodegradability to conventional petroleum-based plastic. The bioplastic degraded significantly faster in soil conditions, offering a promising alternative that could reduce microplastic accumulation compared to conventional plastics that persist for centuries.

2020 Journal of Emerging Investigators
Article Tier 2

[Photodegradation of Plastic Blends in Seawater and Its Risk to the Marine Environment].

This study investigates how plastic blends used in packaging degrade under sunlight in seawater, finding that photodegradation produces microplastics and alters the physical and chemical properties of the material. The research suggests that biodegradable plastic blends may not perform as intended in marine environments and could still contribute to microplastic pollution.

2023 Huan jing ke xue= Huanjing kexue
Article Tier 2

A Mini Review on Recent Insight into Degradation of Environmental Plastics

This mini-review summarizes current knowledge on how plastics break down in the environment to form microplastics, covering mechanical, photochemical, thermal, and biological degradation pathways, and identifies key gaps in understanding how environmental conditions and plastic properties influence degradation rates.

2023 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanical and Physical Changes in Bio-Polybutylene-Succinate Induced by UVC Ray Photodegradation

Researchers studied how UVC radiation degrades bio-polybutylene succinate, a biodegradable plastic used in packaging and biomedical applications. They found that UVC exposure caused significant changes in the material's mechanical strength, crystallinity, and surface chemistry over time. The findings are relevant for understanding how biodegradable plastics break down and potentially release microplastic fragments under certain environmental conditions.

2024 Polymers 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of the Mechanical Degradability of Biodegradable Polymer-Based Bags in Different Environments

Researchers analyzed the mechanical degradability of biodegradable polymer-based bags under simulated environmental conditions, measuring fragmentation rates and the physical characteristics of resulting particles. The bags fragmented into microplastic-sized pieces under mechanical stress comparable to environmental conditions, raising concerns that biodegradable bags may contribute to environmental microplastic loads during incomplete degradation.

2024 Sustainability 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Insights into photoaging behaviors and mechanisms of biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil

Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics break down when exposed to light in soil environments. They found that biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) aged faster than conventional polyethylene, with both types developing surface cracks and chemical changes over time. The study provides new insights into how different plastic types weather in soil, which affects their environmental persistence and potential toxicity.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Deterioration of single-use biodegradable plastics in high-humidity air and freshwaters over one year: Significant disparities in surface physicochemical characteristics and degradation rates

This study evaluated the degradation of single-use biodegradable plastics over one year in both high-humidity air and freshwater environments, finding significant disparities in surface chemistry changes and degradation rates between the two conditions. The results suggest biodegradable plastics degrade far more slowly in open-air and freshwater than expected.

2023 Journal of Hazardous Materials 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Surface Chemistry in Environmental Degradation of Polymeric Solids

Researchers reviewed the three main degradation pathways of plastic materials from a surface chemistry perspective: chemical, biological, and mechanical degradation. They described how these processes can occur consecutively or simultaneously in the environment, ultimately producing microplastics. The study provides a scientific framework for understanding how plastics break down into smaller particles, which is essential for developing strategies to address microplastic pollution.

2024 Langmuir 18 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 Materials 196 citations
Article Tier 2

The Ultraviolet Irradiation Aging Characteristics of Microplastics in Soil under the Action of Biochar

Researchers characterized how microplastics change physically and chemically under ultraviolet irradiation aging, documenting surface cracking, yellowing, and shifts in chemical functional groups. These aging signatures are important for understanding the environmental fate and increased toxicity of weathered microplastics.

2025 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 61 citations
Article Tier 2

Weathering Processand Characteristics of Microplasticsin Coastal Wetlands: A 24-Month In Situ Study

Researchers conducted a 24-month study of microplastic weathering in coastal wetlands, characterizing how wetland-specific conditions including UV exposure, salinity, and biological activity alter plastic surface chemistry, fragmentation, and biofilm colonization over time.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Investigating the physicochemical property changes of plastic packaging material exposed to UV radiation

UV radiation was shown to degrade polypropylene and PET plastic packaging materials, causing surface changes and potential microplastic formation, with degradation rates influenced by sample shape and size. These findings are relevant to understanding how discarded plastic packaging breaks down in marine and outdoor environments.

2020 SUNScholar (Stellenbosch University) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Micro- and nanoplastics released from biodegradable and conventional plastics during degradation: Formation, aging factors, and toxicity

Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional plastics break down into micro- and nanoplastics during degradation, testing the effects of UV light and mechanical forces. They found that biodegradable plastics like PLA and PBS can produce significant quantities of secondary microplastics, challenging the assumption that they are entirely safe alternatives. The study highlights the need for risk assessments of biodegradable plastics, particularly the tiny fragments generated as they break down.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 195 citations
Article Tier 2

From Macro to Micro Plastics; Influence of Photo-oxidative Degradation

This study used simulated UV aging to investigate how photo-oxidative degradation of common plastics drives fragmentation from macro to micro scale, characterizing the surface property changes and structural breakdown that generate microplastic particles in the environment.

2023 Kemija u industriji 4 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review on Natural Biodegradation of Plastics

This review examines the natural biodegradation of plastics in soil and water environments by microorganisms and photochemical processes, discussing why conventional disposal methods are insufficient for addressing the growing global plastic waste problem. The paper distinguishes between plastics that are highly sensitive to microbial degradation and those that remain stable in natural environments, reviewing the mechanisms and limitations of biological breakdown.

2022 International Journal of Polymer and Textile Engineering