Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Recent technological innovations in mycelium materials as leather substitutes: a patent review

This patent review examined recent innovations in mycelium-based leather substitutes made from filamentous fungi, covering fabrication methods, post-processing techniques, and their potential as sustainable alternatives to animal and plastic-based leathers.

2023 Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Peer Review #1 of "Current situation and future perspectives for the use of fungi in the biomaterial industry and proposal for a new classification of fungal-derived materials (v0.1)"

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a peer review document evaluating a manuscript about fungal mycelium-based biomaterials (mycomaterials) and their potential to replace environmentally problematic industrial substrates.

2023
Article Tier 2

Improving the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Mycelium-Based Green Composites Using Paper Waste

Researchers explored using paper waste to improve mycelium-based composites, which are sustainable materials grown from mushroom fibers. The study found that adding paper waste enhanced the physical and mechanical properties of these biodegradable materials, suggesting they could serve as greener alternatives to traditional plastics and packaging.

2024 Polymers 34 citations
Article Tier 2

Fundamental studies for designing insulation panels from wood shavings and filamentous fungi

Researchers tested the feasibility of making thermal insulation boards from wood shavings and filament waste to replace conventional petroleum-based insulation materials. This sustainable materials research is part of efforts to develop plastic alternatives that would reduce long-term microplastic environmental accumulation.

2019 BioResources 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Mycelium Composites for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: The Case for Africa

This review explores how mycelium composites, materials grown from fungal networks on agricultural waste, could support sustainable development in Africa. The technology could generate additional revenue for farmers, create jobs, and reduce environmental harm from current waste management practices. Researchers highlight locally available resources and potential applications while acknowledging challenges that need to be addressed for widespread adoption.

2023 Advanced Sustainable Systems 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Preparation of fungal biocomposite for environment friendly packaging of plant saplings

Researchers grew Pleurotus ostreatus and Ganoderma lucidum fungi on agricultural waste substrates to produce mycelium biocomposites for biodegradable plant sapling packaging, finding that Ganoderma lucidum composites showed superior thermal stability and mechanical strength as a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging.

2025 World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
Article Tier 2

Recent Recycling Innovations to Facilitate Sustainable Packaging Materials: A Review

This review examined recent recycling innovations for sustainable packaging materials across meat, pharmaceutical, beverage, and electronics industries, evaluating how different recycled materials compare in terms of performance and environmental impact.

2023 Recycling 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Liquid-State Surface Fermentation of Mycelium Mats to Produce Sustainable Leather-Like Materials

Researchers developed a liquid-state surface fermentation method using mycelium mats to produce sustainable leather-like materials as a bio-based alternative to fossil-derived textiles, addressing the fashion industry's significant contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and wastewater pollution.

2025 CONECT International Scientific Conference of Environmental and Climate Technologies
Article Tier 2

Current trends, limitations and future research in the fungi?

This broad review of modern mycology (the study of fungi) covers emerging fungal diseases, drug discovery from fungi, genomics advances, and how fungi can be used in construction and circular economies. While not directly about microplastics, some fungi show promise for biodegrading plastic waste, making mycology research relevant to addressing microplastic pollution.

2024 Fungal Diversity 94 citations
Article Tier 2

Mechanical and Air Permeability Performance of Novel Biobased Materials from Fungal Hyphae and Cellulose Fibers

This study developed novel bio-based protective materials from fungal hyphae and hemp cellulose fibers as sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastic-based personal protective equipment. Creating plastic-free alternatives for these applications could help reduce the microplastic pollution generated by the disposal of conventional PPE.

2020 Materials 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the frontier of sustainable alternatives: Design, development, and evaluation of mushroom-based edible cups utilizing Agaricus bisporus

Researchers explored the feasibility of making edible cups from button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) powder as a sustainable alternative to disposable plastic cups. The mushroom-based cups are compostable, require less energy to produce, and generate less waste than conventional plastics. While challenges remain around cost and scalability, the study suggests these cups have meaningful commercial potential for reducing plastic pollution in food packaging.

2025 Journal of Current Research in Food Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Fungal Based Biopolymer Composites for Construction Materials

Researchers developed a novel composite biomaterial combining lignocellulosic wheat straw substrate, fungal mycelium, and polypropylene embedded with bacterial spores for potential construction applications. The study suggests that fungal-based biopolymer composites could serve as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional construction materials, contributing to reduced reliance on petroleum-based plastics.

2021 Materials 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Utilization of mushroom for the bioremediation of plastics and polythenes

This review examined the use of fungi (mycoremediation) for breaking down plastics and polythenes, discussing how fungal biofilms overcome the non-hydrolyzable nature of plastic polymers and the potential for mushroom species to degrade plastic waste.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetic biology enables mushrooms to meet emerging sustainable challenges

This perspective paper discusses how synthetic biology can enhance mushroom cultivation and fermentation to address sustainability challenges, including applications in biodegradable materials and pollution cleanup. While not directly about microplastics, mushroom-based materials could serve as biodegradable alternatives to plastics, and engineered fungi may help break down existing plastic pollution. The research points toward biological solutions for reducing plastic waste in the environment.

2024 Frontiers in Microbiology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Properties of Chitosan Monofilament from Mushroom Mycelium

Researchers extracted chitosan from the mycelium of three mushroom species — Ganoderma lucidum, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Schizophyllum commune — and formed it into monofilament through wet spinning as an alternative to synthetic and natural fibers that release microplastics. Mushroom mycelium chitosan showed greater deacetylation (82.8-84.8%) and lower molecular weight than commercial chitosan, and its addition improved the surface quality and tensile strength of the resulting monofilament.

2024 KSBB Journal
Article Tier 2

Revolutionizing Eco-Friendly Leather Production: A Freeze-Thaw and Liquid Fermentation Approach with Fungal Mycelium

Researchers developed an eco-friendly leather production method using freeze-thaw cycles and liquid fermentation to process animal hides without conventional tanning chemicals, testing the mechanical and biodegradable properties of the resulting material as an alternative to chrome-tanned leather.

2025 Journal of Fungi 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Physical and thermal properties of mycelium-composite materials made from cattail biomass for the manufacture of compostable coffee cups

Scientists created eco-friendly coffee cups using mushroom fibers (mycelium) grown on cattail plants, which could replace regular paper cups that are coated with plastic. These new cups resist water and heat well and would break down naturally after use, helping people avoid drinking microplastics that can leak from plastic-coated cups. The cups aren't strong enough for commercial use yet, but this research shows promise for healthier, compostable alternatives to current disposable cups.

2026 Discover Materials
Review Tier 2

A Decade Review of Research Trends Using Waste Materials in the Building and Construction Industry: A Pathway towards a Circular Economy

This decade-long review of construction industry research trends found growing adoption of waste materials including plastics, rubber, and industrial by-products as alternative construction materials, supporting a more circular production and consumption model.

2023 Waste 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Life cycle assessment of MycoWorks’ Reishi™: the first low-carbon and biodegradable alternative leather

Researchers conducted a life cycle assessment of Reishi, a mycelium-based leather alternative containing less than one percent polymer content. They found its carbon footprint was as low as 2.76 kg CO2 equivalent per square meter, roughly 8 percent of the bovine leather benchmark. The study suggests that this biodegradable material offers a significantly lower environmental impact than both traditional leather and most plastic-containing alternative leathers.

2022 Environmental Sciences Europe 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive overview of sustainable food packaging material alternatives

This review provides a comprehensive overview of alternative packaging materials being developed to replace conventional plastics, including biodegradable plastics, cellulose, bamboo, edible packaging, and nano-cellulose. Researchers found that recycling plastics and producing bioplastics have not yet proven to be fully effective solutions, and the environmental impact of many alternatives remains unclear. The study notes that while no single alternative can fully replace plastic packaging, emerging materials show promise for reducing environmental impact and waste.

2025 Cognitive Sustainability 1 citations
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
Article Tier 2

Fungal chitosan in focus: a comprehensive review on extraction methods and applications

Researchers reviewed fungal-derived chitosan as a biodegradable plastic alternative for food packaging, highlighting advantages over marine-sourced chitosan — including lower mineral content, year-round supply, and reduced microplastic contamination risk — alongside advances in extraction techniques such as deep eutectic solvents and enzymatic processing.

2025 Food Research International 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Advances in Cellulose-Based Packaging Films for Food Products

This review covers recent advances in cellulose-based packaging films as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, examining how different cellulose structures and derivatives enable versatile film properties for food packaging applications.

2023 IntechOpen eBooks 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Bio-based and Sustainable Food Packaging Technology: Relevance, Challenges and Prospects

A review assessed bio-based and sustainable food packaging technologies, evaluating their relevance as replacements for conventional plastic packaging that generates microplastic pollution. The study identifies the most promising materials and the barriers to scaling up plastic-free food packaging.

2025 Journal of Biomaterials 1 citations