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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Influence of microbial biomass content on biodegradation and mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) composites
ClearCharacterization of PHB/Clay Biocomposites Exposed to Degradation in an Aquatic Environment
This study examined how bioplastic composites made from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and clay degrade in water. Adding clay altered the degradation rate, and the type of clay (natural vs. organically modified) had different effects — important for designing biodegradable plastics that break down predictably in aquatic environments.
Biodegradation Studies of Polyhydroxybutyrate and Polyhydroxybutyrate-co-Polyhydroxyvalerate Films in Soil
Researchers studied the biodegradation properties of two bioplastic polymers, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and polyhydroxybutyrate-co-polyhydroxyvalerate (PHBV), in soil under different moisture conditions. Both polymers degraded completely in fully saturated soil, with the study tracking changes in appearance, chemical signatures, mechanical properties, and molecular weight, supporting these materials as viable biodegradable alternatives to conventional petrochemical-derived plastics.
Characterization of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) from Alternative, Scalable (Waste) Feedstocks
This study compares two biodegradable bioplastics (P3HB) made from waste feedstocks — one produced by cyanobacteria using sunlight and CO2, the other by methane-eating bacteria — and finds both have thermal and mechanical properties on par with conventionally produced P3HB. The relevance to microplastics is indirect: switching to genuinely biodegradable plastics made from waste gases could reduce the long-lasting microplastic particles generated by conventional petroleum-based polymers.
Bio-Polyester/Rubber Compounds: Fabrication, Characterization, and Biodegradation
This paper is not about microplastics; it investigates biodegradable bioplastic blends made from polyhydroxybutyrate and natural rubber as potential alternatives to fossil-based plastics.
Biodegradable microplastics impact on soil: how poly-3-hydroxybutyrate alters microbial diversity and nitrogen mineralization processes
Researchers found that biodegradable plastic made from poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB), when present as microplastics in soil, disrupts the microbial communities that cycle nitrogen — reducing the availability of nitrate that plants need to grow, which contributed to stunted maize growth in pot experiments. The findings suggest that even biodegradable plastics can harm soil health when they break down into microplastic particles.
Microbial Degradation Behavior in Seawater of Polyester Blends Containing Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx)
Researchers tested the marine biodegradability of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) and its blends with PBAT, PBS, and PLA using a biochemical oxygen demand method in seawater, finding that PHBHHx alone degraded efficiently and that blend degradation rates decreased proportionally with lower PHBHHx content. Surface morphology of the blend sheets was identified as a key factor controlling overall biodegradation rates.
Copolymers and Blends Based on 3-Hydroxybutyrate and 3-Hydroxyvalerate Units
This paper is not about microplastics. It reviews the biodegradable biopolymer PHBV (poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)), covering its production, properties, degradation behavior, and applications in various sectors. While PHBV is studied as a potential biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics, this paper focuses on polymer science and materials engineering rather than microplastic pollution.
Biodegradable Polyesters in Soil - Real Environmental Hazard or Just a Storm in a Teacup?
This review critically examines whether biodegradable polyesters genuinely degrade in soil environments, finding that under field conditions many degrade slowly and incompletely, forming persistent microplastic particles ('microbioplastics') with largely unknown ecological consequences.
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.
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.
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.
Microplastics in agricultural soils : effects on physical, chemical, and microbiological processes
This thesis examines how pristine and degraded conventional microplastics (polyethylene and PET) and biodegradable microplastics (PBAT) affect soil physical, chemical, and microbial properties across silty loam and sandy loam soils, integrating five studies involving greenhouse and laboratory experiments to assess impacts on aggregation, water-holding capacity, carbon storage, respiration, nutrient cycling, and microbial community composition.
Microbiological Characterization of the Biofilms Colonizing Bioplastics in Natural Marine Conditions: A Comparison between PHBV and PLA
Researchers characterized biofilm communities colonizing bioplastics and conventional plastics in natural marine conditions, finding that bioplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities compared to petroleum-based plastics, with implications for biodegradation and ecological interactions.
A Biodegradable Composite of Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) with Short Cellulose Fiber for Packaging
Researchers developed biodegradable composite materials by incorporating short cellulose fibers into PHBV biopolymer, addressing the polymer's narrow processing window and improving its suitability for sustainable packaging applications.
Microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities under contrasting soil environments
Researchers compared microplastic effects on soil organic matter dynamics and bacterial communities across contrasting soil environments, finding that the type of microplastic polymer and soil conditions together determine whether microbial activity and carbon cycling are stimulated or suppressed.
In Situ Constructing Highly Aligned Ribbon-like PHBV Lamellae in PBAT: Towards Strong, Ductile and High-Barrier PBAT/PHBV Films
Despite its title referencing biodegradable plastic film materials (PBAT and PHBV), this paper studies the materials science of fabricating high-performance biodegradable packaging films — not microplastic pollution or health effects. It examines how combining two bio-based polymers with a compatibilizer improves mechanical strength and barrier properties and is not directly relevant to microplastic exposure or human health impacts.
Seawater-degradable, tough, and fully bio-derived nonwoven polyester fibres reinforced with mechanically defibrated cellulose nanofibres
Researchers developed a fully bio-derived bioplastic fiber combining PHBH polymer with cellulose nanofibers that degrades in seawater while maintaining good mechanical properties, offering a promising alternative to conventional synthetic fibers that shed persistent microplastics.
Biodegradation assessment of polymer-based films by bacterial species in the marine environment and its correlation with microplastic production and toxicity
Researchers tested five polymer-based film materials in marine environments and measured biodegradation, bacterial colonization, and microplastic formation, finding that polymer composition strongly determines both marine biodegradability and the amount of microplastic debris generated during degradation.
[Interaction between microplastics and microorganisms in soil environment: a review].
This review examines how microplastics alter soil microbial community structure and diversity, and how microorganisms in turn colonize plastic surfaces and degrade them through extracellular enzymes — with degradation efficiency dependent on polymer properties and environmental conditions.
Microbial Production of Biopolymer Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB): Current Challenges and its Application
This review examines the microbial production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biodegradable polyester produced by microorganisms as an energy and carbon storage compound, covering current production challenges and industrial applications. The study discusses PHB as a biopolymer alternative to petroleum-based plastics, addressing cost, yield, and scalability barriers limiting its commercial adoption.
Marine biodegradation mechanism of biodegradable plastics revealed by plastisphere analysis
Researchers analyzed the marine biodegradation mechanisms of two biodegradable plastics, PHBV and PBSA, by examining plastisphere functional gene assemblages, finding that differences in microbial community composition on their surfaces help explain why these polyesters degrade at substantially different rates in seawater.
Photodegradationof Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate)and Its Effects on Marine Biodegradability
Researchers examined the photodegradation dynamics of the biodegradable polymer PHBH under simulated UV conditions and assessed the effects on its marine biodegradability. UV weathering altered PHBH's surface properties and modified its degradation rate in marine environments, raising questions about the environmental safety claims for this material.
Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Inherently Brittle, Biobased and Biodegradable Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Polymer by Cotton Fibre Reinforcement and Interfacial Grafting
This study developed biobased and biodegradable packaging films by modifying PLA and PBSA blends, achieving improved flexibility and toughness compared to brittle pure PLA, with the goal of replacing fossil-fuel-based packaging materials with compostable alternatives.
Acceleration of Biodegradation Using Polymer Blends and Composites
This review examines how blending biodegradable polymers with other materials can tune both physical properties and biodegradation rates, noting that many biodegradable plastics degrade far more slowly than claimed. The authors stress that biodegradation claims require rigorous validation under realistic environmental conditions.