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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Aging behavior of biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics accelerated by UV/H2O2 processes
ClearPhoto-Aging of Biodegradable Polylactic Acid Microplastics
Researchers investigated the photo-aging of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, finding that UV exposure caused fragmentation that increased total particle numbers while decreasing average particle size. The study provides quantitative data on how biodegradable PLA plastics generate secondary microplastics through photoaging, a previously poorly characterized degradation pathway for this widely used industrial bioplastic.
Novel insights into photoaging mechanisms and environmental persistence risks of polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics: Direct and indirect photolysis
Using quantum chemical calculations and kinetic simulations, researchers investigated the photoaging mechanisms of polylactic acid (PLA) -- a supposedly biodegradable plastic -- under UV radiation. PLA underwent both direct photolysis and indirect photolysis via reactive oxygen species, producing persistent microplastic fragments, raising concerns that PLA's environmental persistence under real-world sunlight conditions may exceed expectations.
Adsorption/desorption behavior of degradable polylactic acid microplastics on bisphenol A under different aging conditions
Researchers studied how different types of UV-simulated aging affect the ability of polylactic acid microplastics to adsorb and release bisphenol A. The study found that aging conditions changed the surface properties of the biodegradable plastic, altering its interaction with this common environmental contaminant. The findings suggest that even biodegradable microplastics can act as carriers of harmful chemicals depending on their degradation state.
UVA-induced weathering of microplastics in seawater: surface property transformations and kinetics
Researchers studied how UVA radiation weathers microplastics in seawater, examining changes to surface properties and degradation rates. The study developed a model integrating an aging index with degradation kinetics, finding that UV exposure significantly transforms microplastic surface characteristics, which affects their behavior and potential ecological impact in marine environments.
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.
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.
Aging characteristics of polylatic acid microplastics and their adsorption on hydrophilic organic pollutants: mechanistic investigations and theoretical calculations
Researchers characterized how polylactic acid microplastics undergo UV and thermal aging in aquatic environments, finding that aging altered surface chemistry, increased hydrophilicity, and enhanced adsorption of heavy metal pollutants—raising concerns about aged biodegradable plastics as carriers of co-contaminants.
The aging behavior of degradable plastic polylactic acid under the interaction of environmental factors
Researchers used response surface methodology to study how temperature, light, and humidity interact to accelerate the aging and breakdown of polylactic acid, a common biodegradable plastic. The study found that humidity had the greatest effect on PLA degradation, followed by light and temperature. Evidence indicates that even biodegradable plastics can release microplastic particles as they age under environmental conditions, posing potential ecological concerns.
Molecular interaction of pristine and photoaged polylactic acid microplastics with extracellular polymeric substances from Microcystis aeruginosa
Researchers investigated how pristine and UV-aged polylactic acid microplastics interact with extracellular polymeric substances produced by the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. They found that aging enhanced the interaction between the microplastics and these biological substances, primarily through hydrogen bonding, leading to greater surface changes and molecular weight reduction. The study suggests that aged biodegradable microplastics may be more susceptible to transformation in aquatic environments than pristine ones.
Progress on the photo aging mechanism of microplastics and related impact factors in water environment
This review examined the photo-aging mechanisms of microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that solar UV radiation drives oxidation reactions that alter surface chemistry, fragment particles further, and enhance their capacity to adsorb and release co-occurring pollutants.
Comparing the Aging Processes of PLA and PE: The Impact of UV Irradiation and Water
Scientists compared how biodegradable PLA plastic and conventional polyethylene break down under UV light and water exposure. PLA degraded more severely, fragmenting into smaller particles more readily than polyethylene, though both types developed surface cracks and chemical changes. Understanding how different plastics age is important because smaller, more degraded particles may be more easily absorbed by living organisms and potentially cause greater harm.
Developing environmentally relevant test materials for microplastic research through UV-induced photoaging
Researchers used UV irradiation to create photoaged microplastics from multiple polymer types as environmentally relevant test materials for ecotoxicology research, characterizing how aging changes surface chemistry, particle size distribution, and potential biological effects.
Insights into the photoaging behavior of biodegradable and nondegradable microplastics: Spectroscopic and molecular characteristics of dissolved organic matter release
Researchers compared how biodegradable and conventional microplastics break down under ultraviolet light and what dissolved substances they release. They found that biodegradable PLA microplastics released more protein-like organic matter during UV exposure than conventional polystyrene, and this matter was more readily used by microorganisms. The study suggests that biodegradable plastics, while designed to be better for the environment, may introduce different ecological risks as they break down.
Abiotic degradation and accelerated ageing of microplastics from biodegradable and recycled materials in artificial seawater
Researchers examined the degradation behavior of microplastics from two biodegradable plastics (polylactic acid and Mater-Bi) and recycled PET under simulated seawater and photo-oxidative conditions. They identified hydrolysis as the primary degradation pathway and characterized the oligomers, degradation products, and plastic additives released into the water. The study improves understanding of how these alternative plastic materials break down in marine environments and what chemicals they release.
Simulated sunlight exposure as a prerequisite for the biodegradation of persistent microplastics
Researchers investigated how simulated sunlight pre-exposure affects the subsequent microbial biodegradability of polyurea microcapsules and low-density polyethylene particles, finding that photooxidation significantly altered polymer structure and increased susceptibility to microbial breakdown.
Physicochemical and biological ageing processes of (micro)plastics in the environment: a multi-tiered study on polyethylene
Researchers applied a multi-tiered approach combining laboratory aging, field deployment, and environmental simulation to study how polyethylene plastic undergoes physicochemical and biological weathering in natural settings. The study found that UV radiation and microbial colonization act synergistically to accelerate surface oxidation and fragmentation of PE into smaller particles.
Microbial Degradation of Polylactic Acid Bioplastic
This review covers how microorganisms degrade polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic under different environmental conditions. Understanding PLA biodegradation is important for assessing whether PLA products actually break down as intended in real-world environments rather than persisting as microplastics.
Laboratory simulated aging methods, mechanisms and characteristic changes of microplastics: A review
This review examines the different laboratory methods scientists use to artificially age microplastics to study how they change over time in the environment. UV light, heat, chemical oxidation, and biological processes all alter the surface, size, and chemical properties of microplastics in different ways. Understanding how aging changes microplastics is important because weathered particles in the real world may be more toxic and carry more pollutants than the fresh plastics typically used in lab studies.
Aging assessment of microplastics (LDPE, PET and uPVC) under urban environment stressors
Researchers aged LDPE, PET, and uPVC microplastics using ozone, UV-C, and solar radiation to simulate urban environmental stressors, finding that each aging agent produced distinct changes in surface morphology, chemical structure, and crystallinity that could alter particle behavior in the environment.
Polylactic acid synthesis, biodegradability, conversion to microplastics and toxicity: a review
Researchers reviewed polylactic acid (PLA), a popular plant-based "biodegradable" plastic used in packaging and agriculture, finding that while it breaks down inside the body, it does not fully degrade under natural outdoor or aquatic conditions — and in fact fragments into microplastics faster than conventional petroleum-based plastics. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are a straightforward environmental solution.