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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Evaluation of Commercial Viability of Eco-friendly Alternatives to Traditional Floral Foam and Their Effects on Vase Life of Five Species of Cut Flowers
ClearPlastic Mulching or Conventional Cultivation of Lavender Flower: What Influence on the Yield, Essential Oil and Their Neuroprotective Effects?
Researchers compared lavender flower yield and essential oil quality between plastic mulch and conventional cultivation methods. Plastic mulch improves yields but contributes to microplastic soil contamination through film fragmentation over time.
An Eco-friendly Alternative to Polyethylene Microbeads in Personal Healthcare Products
This paper proposes eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives to polyethylene microbeads used as exfoliants in personal care products like shower gels. Replacing synthetic plastic microbeads with natural materials would reduce a direct source of microplastic pollution entering waterways through drain runoff.
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.
Preservatives with or without floral foam impact postharvest longevity of celosia (Celosia argentea L.) and tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.)
Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of vase preservative solutions with and without floral foam on the postharvest longevity of celosia and tuberose cut flowers, finding that flowers kept without phenol-formaldehyde-based floral foam in Chrysal Clear Universal solution had the longest vase life.
Plastic mulching in agriculture. Trading short-term agronomic benefits for long-term soil degradation?
This study examined plastic mulch use in agriculture, arguing that short-term crop benefits come with long-term costs as mulch fragments accumulate in soil as microplastics and disrupt soil structure, biology, and water dynamics.
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.
Understanding the impact of microplastic contamination on soil quality and eco-toxicological risks in horticulture: A comprehensive review
This review examines how microplastic contamination in horticultural soils affects soil quality, plant health, and food safety. Microplastics alter soil structure, reduce beneficial microbial activity, and can transfer toxic chemicals to edible crops. Since horticulture provides a significant portion of the global food supply, understanding and addressing microplastic contamination in these soils is critical for protecting human health.
From plastic mulching to microplastic pollution : An effect assessment of microplastics in the soil-plant system
This review assessed how plastic mulching films contribute to agricultural microplastic pollution, finding that biodegradable alternatives rarely fully degrade under field conditions and instead fragment into microplastics, with both LDPE and biodegradable microplastics producing measurable ecological effects in soil-plant systems.
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.
Understanding the ecological impacts of biodegradable microplastics
This review synthesizes literature on the ecological impacts of biodegradable microplastics, finding that despite their eco-friendly marketing, most published studies report significant negative effects on plant growth, animal reproduction, microbial diversity, and enrichment of pathogens.
Plant species-specific impact of polyethylene microspheres on seedling growth and the metabolome
Researchers modeled the lifecycle of plastic packaging and estimated the generation of secondary microplastics from different disposal pathways including landfill, incineration, and recycling. Results indicate that recycling significantly reduces microplastic generation but does not eliminate it entirely.
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.
An evaluation model to predict microplastics generation from polystyrene foams and experimental verification
Researchers developed a simulation model that predicts when aged polystyrene foams will generate microplastics by linking plastic aging with mechanical failure over time, offering a tool to guide timely recycling before microplastic release occurs.
Valorization of floral foam waste via pyrolysis optimization for enhanced phenols recovery
Researchers optimized pyrolysis conditions for floral foam waste — a phenol formaldehyde foam that generates toxic microplastics — to maximize phenol recovery, finding that floral foam waste had 55.1% higher carbon content than biomass fractions and yielded high calorific value, demonstrating valorization potential for this problematic waste stream.
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.
Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the seed germination of herbaceous ornamental plants
Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations affect seed germination of three ornamental plant species, finding that nanoscale particles at high concentrations significantly inhibited germination and early growth.
A spray-on environmentally friendly degradable mulch material and its high efficiency in controlling above-ground biomass of weeds in greenhouse experiments
Not relevant to microplastics — this study develops a spray-on biodegradable mulch material from rapeseed oil, starch, and sodium alginate as an alternative to plastic mulch films for weed control, relevant to reducing plastic use in agriculture but not a microplastic study.
Degradable pollen as potential candidates to replace plastic packages
This paper explores using pollen grains as a biodegradable alternative to synthetic plastic packaging materials, aiming to reduce the plastic waste that generates microplastic pollution. Pollen is abundant, renewable, and naturally biodegradable, making it a candidate for eco-friendly packaging applications.
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.
Building Collaboration in the UK Floriculture Industry
This brief document relates to collaboration building within the UK floriculture industry, discussing the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative. It covers sustainability challenges and cooperative strategies among flower growers. The content has minimal direct relevance to microplastic research.
Bioplastics and the environment: Solution or Green Illusion?
This review critically evaluates whether bioplastics are genuinely environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, finding that many bioplastics degrade incompletely under real-world conditions, form persistent microplastic fragments, and may pose ecological risks comparable to conventional plastics.
Marine Biodegradability and Toxicity of Commercially Available Biobased Plastics -A Sustainable Alternative To Petrochemical Plastics?
This conference abstract examines whether commercially available biobased plastics degrade in the marine environment and whether they produce toxic byproducts. Results suggest that some bioplastics do not biodegrade effectively in seawater and may pose similar risks to marine organisms as conventional petroleum-based plastics.
A comprehensive analysis and risk evaluation of microplastics contamination in Australian commercial plant growth substrates: Unveiling the invisible threat
Researchers tested 24 commercial potting mixes and composts sold in Australia and found microplastic contamination in every product, with concentrations ranging from 233 to over 7,000 particles per kilogram. Fragments and fibers were the most common types, and several concerning polymers were identified. The study highlights that gardening products are an overlooked pathway for introducing microplastics into home and agricultural soils.
Potential use of plant leaves and sheath as food packaging materials in tackling plastic pollution: A Review
This review examines research into using plant leaves and sheaths as biodegradable food packaging materials to reduce plastic pollution. Researchers found that considerable progress has been made in demonstrating the feasibility of plant-based packaging, though large-scale production and commercial application remain challenging. The study suggests that plant-derived packaging materials hold significant economic potential as environmentally friendly alternatives to single-use plastics.