Papers

20 results
|
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Polymer Biodegradability 2.0: A Holistic View on Polymer Biodegradation in Natural and Engineered Environments

Researchers reviewed the science of biodegradable plastics, examining how material properties and environmental conditions — such as temperature, moisture, and microbial activity — determine how quickly and completely a polymer breaks down. The chapter provides guidance for developing, testing, and regulating biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics that persist in the environment.

2023 Advances in polymer science 13 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

Recent Preparations and Innovations in the Biodegradable Bioplastics and Biocomposites (A Review)

This review covered recent advances in biodegradable bioplastics and biocomposites as alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, including their preparation methods, properties, and environmental performance. The authors noted that while bioplastics reduce reliance on fossil fuels and potentially decrease microplastic persistence, production costs and performance limitations remain barriers.

2025 Russian Journal of General Chemistry
Article Tier 2

Biodegradable plastics in the marine environment: a potential source of risk?

This review examines whether biodegradable plastics offer a genuine solution to marine plastic pollution, finding that their environmental behavior depends heavily on specific conditions and that they may still pose risks in marine environments where decomposition is slow.

2022 Water Emerging Contaminants & Nanoplastics 30 citations
Review Tier 2

Environmental Degradation of Plastic Composites with Natural Fillers—A Review

Researchers examined the environmental degradation of polymer composites containing natural fillers, finding that exposure to outdoor conditions accelerates biodegradation of natural components and alters the mechanical properties of the composite material. The degradation process can generate microplastic fragments as the matrix breaks down.

2020 Polymers 214 citations
Article Tier 2

Application of biodegradable plastic and their environmental impacts: A revie

This review examines the environmental impacts of conventional petroleum-based plastics and evaluates biodegradable alternatives made from plant-based and other organic materials. Researchers found that while bioplastics show promise for reducing long-term pollution, their degradation rates vary significantly depending on environmental conditions. The study emphasizes that switching to biodegradable plastics alone is not enough without proper waste management infrastructure.

2024 World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of Different Types of Bioplastics through Composting—A Recent Trend in Green Recycling

This review examines the biodegradation of various bioplastics through composting and other environments. Researchers found that while bioplastics offer a promising sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics, their degradation rates are highly dependent on environmental conditions, and concerns remain about their leakage into the environment and long degradation timeframes during waste management.

2023 Catalysts 125 citations
Review Tier 2

The degradation of single-use plastics and commercially viable bioplastics in the environment: A review

Researchers reviewed how conventional single-use plastics degrade over decades in natural environments versus how bioplastics biodegrade, finding that while alternatives like PBS and PHA show genuine biodegradation potential, most require specific industrial composting conditions that are rarely available in practice.

2023 Environmental Research 89 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable struggling: decoding microplastic released from bioplastics—a critical review

This critical review examines biodegradable plastics as an alternative to conventional plastics, finding that many do not fully degrade under real-world conditions and can fragment into microplastics more rapidly than their conventional counterparts.

2024 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

The Biodegradation of Plastic by Microorganisms

This review examines how the chemical composition of plastics influences their susceptibility to biodegradation by microorganisms, discussing the diverse biophysical-chemical properties of synthetic polymers that affect microbial degradation rates across different environmental contexts.

2025
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Plastics
Article Tier 2

A Review of Nonbiodegradable and Biodegradable Composites for Food Packaging Application

This review compares nonbiodegradable and biodegradable composite materials for food packaging, examining mechanical properties, barrier performance, and end-of-life degradation behavior. The authors identify biodegradable composites as technically feasible alternatives to conventional plastic packaging but highlight cost and processing challenges that currently limit their widespread commercial adoption.

2022 Journal of Chemistry 56 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparing environmental fate and ecotoxicity of conventional and biodegradable plastics: A critical review

This review compares biodegradable and conventional plastics and finds that biodegradable plastics do not always fully break down under natural conditions -- instead they often fragment into microplastics and release chemical additives, similar to conventional plastics. Both types can absorb pollutants from the environment and cause toxic effects in living organisms, challenging the assumption that biodegradable plastics are a safe alternative.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Biodegradable Biocomposites Reinforced With Natural Fibers: A Review on Processing, Properties, and Degradation

As concern grows about plastic waste and microplastic pollution from synthetic polymers, this review examines biodegradable biocomposites reinforced with natural plant fibers as a more sustainable alternative. The authors find that these materials can match or exceed the mechanical performance of conventional plastics while actually degrading in the environment — but note a critical gap: lab biodegradation tests often do not reflect real-world conditions, creating uncertainty about how quickly these materials actually break down. Better standardized testing and lifecycle analysis are needed to confirm whether natural fiber biocomposites can genuinely replace conventional plastics at industrial scale.

2026 Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Article Tier 2

A review on biodegradable polymer: Shortcomings, developments, and future direction

This review examines the current market share, classifications, and shortcomings of biodegradable polymer materials, synthesizing developments in this field and identifying future directions for reducing environmental pollution caused by conventional non-degradable polymer composites.

2023 Applied and Computational Engineering 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Three-Dimensional Printing of Multifunctional Composites: Fabrication, Applications, and Biodegradability Assessment

This paper is not about microplastics; it is a materials science review of polymer composites used in 3D printing, examining additive types, biodegradation pathways, and the environmental safety of biodegradable biocomposites.

2023 Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Designing biodegradable alternatives to commodity polymers

This review examined the challenges and strategies for designing biodegradable alternatives to commodity polymers, acknowledging that while replacement is necessary, sustainable alternatives must match the performance and economics of conventional plastics.

2023 Chemical Society Reviews 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Biodegradation of typical plastics and its mechanisms

This review summarizes the mechanisms by which common plastic types are broken down by bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in the environment. Despite their chemical stability, many plastics can be degraded — though slowly — with the pace depending on environmental conditions and plastic type. The paper provides a foundation for developing faster biodegradation strategies to reduce plastic pollution.

2020 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Bridging Three Gaps in Biodegradable Plastics: Misconceptions and Truths About Biodegradation

This review addresses common misconceptions about biodegradable plastics, clarifying that degradation depends heavily on specific environmental conditions and that most biodegradable plastics do not fully break down in typical marine or soil environments.

2021 Frontiers in Chemistry 85 citations