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20 resultsShowing papers similar to All-biodegradable soy protein isolate/lignin composite cross-linked by oxidized sucrose as agricultural mulch films for green farming
ClearStructurally engineered cellulose-based mulch film with enhanced hydrophobicity and strength for green agriculture
This paper develops a cellulose-based mulch film coated with starch and a silane compound to mimic the strength and water resistance of conventional plastic agricultural film, achieving a water contact angle of 128 degrees (up from 16 degrees for untreated cellulose) and complete biodegradation in soil within 56 days. Unlike polyethylene mulch films that fragment into persistent microplastics in farmland, this material decomposes within a crop growing cycle, offering a practical biodegradable alternative for agriculture.
Development of Eco-Friendly Packaging Films from Soyhull Lignocellulose: Towards Valorizing Agro-Industrial Byproducts
Researchers developed a biodegradable packaging film from soyhull waste, a byproduct of the soybean industry, as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics. The film showed good barrier and mechanical properties suitable for food packaging applications. This type of innovation is important because replacing conventional plastic packaging with biodegradable alternatives could reduce the generation of microplastics that contaminate food and the environment.
Deep eutectic solvent-mediated extraction of lignin: A novel strategy for producing high-quality biopolymers in controlled-release mulching applications
Researchers developed a biodegradable mulch film made from lignin, chitosan, and polyvinyl alcohol that can also slowly release fertilizer to crops. The film matched the thermal insulation and water retention properties of conventional plastic mulch while breaking down naturally in soil. The study offers a promising alternative to plastic mulch films, which are a major source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Hydrogen-bonded lignin-acrylic copolymer/WPU composites with Integrated UV shielding, antioxidancy and degradability
Researchers synthesized a lignin-acrylic copolymer from rice straw waste and blended it with waterborne polyurethane to create a composite film with 43% higher tensile strength, near-total UV blocking, and dramatically improved antioxidant capacity, offering a biodegradable, microplastic-reducing alternative to conventional plastic films.
Effect of silane modifiednano‐SiO2on the mechanical properties and compatibility ofPBAT/lignin composite films
This study developed biodegradable PBAT/lignin composite films reinforced with silane-modified silica nanoparticles, aiming to improve mechanical strength while maintaining UV-blocking properties useful for agricultural film applications. Developing high-performance biodegradable agricultural plastics is important for reducing the plastic mulch that is a major source of microplastic contamination in farmland soils.
Design of a Completely Eco-friendly Mulch Foil for Agricultural Production
This paper reviewed the development of eco-friendly mulch films for agriculture, examining biopolymer and composite alternatives to the 2.5 million tons of polyethylene mulch film used annually, with a focus on materials that degrade in soil without leaving persistent microplastic residues.
Sprayable starch films for agricultural mulching
This study developed biodegradable cassava starch films sprayed directly onto agricultural soil as a plastic-free alternative to conventional plastic mulch films. Replacing plastic agricultural mulches with biodegradable alternatives could significantly reduce the microplastic contamination accumulating in farmland soil.
A spray-on environmentally friendly degradable mulch material and its weed suppressing effect in greenhouse experiments
Researchers developed a spray-on biodegradable mulch material from rapeseed oil, starch, and alginate as an alternative to plastic mulch films, one of the largest sources of agricultural microplastic contamination. The spray-on material suppressed weeds effectively in greenhouse tests, demonstrating a viable plastic-free alternative for farmers.
The Use of Biodegradable Film in the Cultivation of Soybean with a Short Growing Season as an Example of Agro-Innovation in a Sustainable Agriculture System
A three-year field experiment in Poland found that biodegradable film mulch improved soybean yields by warming soil during early growth, with effects varying by cultivar and sowing date. This research directly addresses the microplastic problem by testing biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastic mulch, which fragments into microplastics that persist in agricultural soils.
On the quest for novel bio-degradable plastics for agricultural field mulching
This review examined the challenge of developing biodegradable plastic mulch materials suitable for agricultural use, noting that plasticulture consumes about 6.7 million tons of plastic annually, most of which cannot be practically recycled. The authors assessed candidate biodegradable polymers based on their degradation rates in soil, mechanical performance, and cost.
Past, present, and future perspectives of biodegradable films for soil: A 30-year systematic review
This systematic review tracks 30 years of research on biodegradable films for agricultural soil use, analyzing trends and future directions. As concerns grow about conventional plastic mulch leaving microplastic residues in farmland, biodegradable alternatives are gaining attention. The review identifies which biodegradable materials show the most promise for replacing traditional plastic films while maintaining crop benefits.
Investigating the characteristics of carboxymethyl cellulose film as a possible material for green packaging
Researchers developed biodegradable carboxymethyl cellulose films from agricultural waste as a potential sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging. Replacing single-use plastics with biodegradable packaging is directly relevant to reducing the source of microplastic pollution, as conventional packaging is a major contributor to plastic fragmentation in the environment.
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.
Deep insights into biodegradability mechanism and growth cycle adaptability of polylactic acid/hyperbranched cellulose nanocrystal composite mulch
Researchers developed biodegradable polylactic acid mulch films reinforced with hyperbranched cellulose nanocrystals, demonstrating tunable degradation rates under soil burial, seawater, and UV aging conditions alongside enhanced mechanical strength and crop yield — offering a viable petroleum-free alternative to conventional agricultural plastic mulch.
Innovative whey protein isolate-based biopolymer film with glycerol for sustainable food packaging applications
Researchers developed a whey protein isolate-based biodegradable film plasticized with glycerol as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic food packaging, demonstrating comparable barrier properties and mechanical performance without generating persistent microplastic residues.
Development of bio-composite mulch film from cotton gin wastes: Study of pesticide residue and outdoor stability and degradation
Researchers developed biodegradable mulch films made from cotton gin waste — an agricultural byproduct — combined with polycaprolactone, and showed they can remain stable during a growing season while degrading more readily than conventional plastic films. Replacing non-degradable plastic mulch, which fragments into soil microplastics, with truly biodegradable alternatives is an important step toward reducing agricultural plastic pollution.
Functionalization of slow-release fertilizers and “passive predation microplastics” mechanism for polylactic acid composites
Researchers developed a biodegradable fertilizer film made from polylactic acid (PLA) and modified lignin that can slowly release nutrients while breaking down naturally in soil, offering an alternative to conventional plastic mulch. The study also explored how plants absorb tiny fragments of bio-based plastics, which is important for understanding whether even biodegradable alternatives still pose risks to food safety.
Nanocellulose Hybrid Lignin Complex Reinforces Cellulose to Form a Strong, Water-Stable Lignin–Cellulose Composite Usable as a Plastic Replacement
This study developed a strong, water-stable composite material made from cellulose and lignin extracted from agricultural waste (sugarcane bagasse), as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic. The lignin-cellulose composite showed dramatically improved wet strength compared to regular cellulose sheets, demonstrating potential as a biodegradable plastic replacement that would not generate persistent microplastic pollution.
Biodegradable Mulch for Vegetable Production. A Review
This review examined biodegradable plastic mulches as alternatives to conventional polyethylene mulch films in vegetable production, summarizing yield benefits and degradation performance. Replacing conventional plastic mulch with truly biodegradable alternatives could reduce the large amounts of agricultural microplastics shed by mulch film fragmentation.
Soil Bioplastic Mulches for Agroecosystem Sustainability: A Comprehensive Review
This review comprehensively assesses biodegradable plastic mulches as sustainable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based films in agriculture, examining their soil degradation, effects on microorganisms, weed control efficacy, and soil property impacts.