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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Biodegradable Polyesters in Soil - Real Environmental Hazard or Just a Storm in a Teacup?
ClearUnravelling the ecological ramifications of biodegradable microplastics in soil environment: A systematic review
Researchers reviewed 85 studies on biodegradable microplastics in soil, finding that when biodegradable plastics fail to fully break down they can disrupt soil structure, nutrient cycling, and microbial life in ways that depend heavily on concentration and plastic type. The review highlights that "biodegradable" plastics are not a simple fix for microplastic pollution in agricultural soils.
A progress update on the biological effects of biodegradable microplastics on soil and ocean environment: A perfect substitute or new threat?
This review examines whether biodegradable plastics, often marketed as eco-friendly alternatives, actually break down safely in the environment. The evidence shows that biodegradable plastics often fragment into microplastics rather than fully decomposing, and these biodegradable microplastics can harm soil organisms, marine life, and disrupt nutrient cycles. The findings suggest that simply switching to biodegradable plastics may not solve the microplastic pollution problem and could introduce new environmental risks.
A review of biodegradation and formation of biodegradable microplastics in soil and freshwater environments
Researchers reviewed how biodegradable plastics break down in soil and freshwater, finding that incomplete degradation by microorganisms can still produce tiny biodegradable microplastic particles that persist in the environment — meaning "biodegradable" doesn't always mean safe or fast-disappearing.
A review on the occurrence and influence of biodegradable microplastics in soil ecosystems: Are biodegradable plastics substitute or threat?
This review examines whether biodegradable plastics are a genuine solution to plastic pollution or may create new problems in soil ecosystems. Researchers found that many biodegradable plastics do not fully break down under natural conditions and may actually fragment into microplastics faster than conventional plastics, potentially posing additional threats to soil health.
Biodegradable Polyesters and Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene in Soil: Interrelations of Material Properties, Soil Organic Matter Substances, and Microbial Community
Researchers examined how biodegradable polyesters and low molecular weight polyethylene behave in soil environments, investigating their interactions with soil organic matter and microbial communities over time. They found that both biodegradable and conventional polymer microplastics alter soil microbial community composition and interact with organic matter fractions, with biodegradable plastics showing distinct but not necessarily more benign effects than conventional plastics.
Biodegradable plastics in the air and soil environment: Low degradation rate and high microplastics formation
Researchers compared the degradation rates of various biodegradable plastic types in natural air and soil environments over time, finding that most degraded slowly under ambient conditions and generated substantial microplastic fragments, with non-certified biodegradable plastics showing essentially no degradation.
A review of the occurrence and degradation of biodegradable microplastics in soil environments
This review evaluates whether the shift from conventional plastics to biodegradable plastics is truly beneficial for the environment, particularly regarding microplastic formation in soils. Researchers found that biodegradable plastics actually form residual microplastics at a faster rate than conventional plastics, and these particles can negatively affect soil properties, microbial communities, and plant growth. The study suggests the environmental trade-offs of biodegradable plastics deserve closer scrutiny.
Biodegradable plastics in soils: sources, degradation, and effects
This review examines whether biodegradable plastics are truly a safe alternative to conventional plastics in soil. While they do break down faster, the degradation process releases microplastics and potentially toxic byproducts that can harm soil organisms, reduce plant growth, and disrupt the microbial communities that maintain soil health.
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.
A critical review of the overlooked challenge of determining micro-bioplastics in soil
This review addresses the overlooked challenge of detecting and measuring micro-bioplastics, which are microplastic fragments derived from biodegradable plastics like polylactic acid and polyhydroxybutyrate. Researchers found that because biodegradable plastics rarely encounter the specific conditions needed for complete decomposition in natural environments, they may paradoxically generate microplastics even faster than conventional plastics. The study concludes that new analytical methods, particularly thermoanalytical approaches, are urgently needed to assess the environmental fate and toxicity of these increasingly common materials.
A systematic review on bioplastic-soil interaction: Exploring the effects of residual bioplastics on the soil geoenvironment.
Bioplastic residues in soil significantly altered microbial community composition, disrupted soil aggregate formation, and at concentrations above 1% w/w negatively affected plant germination and growth, with lab and field results often inconsistent due to climatic and bio-geographical factors.
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.
Biodegradable microplastics (BMPs): a new cause for concern?
This review examined whether biodegradable microplastics present new environmental hazards, finding that many biodegradable polymers degrade slowly under real environmental conditions and can release toxic additives, and that the assumption of biodegradability does not eliminate microplastic pollution risks unless composting conditions are actively managed.
Bioplastics in agricultural soils: Biodegradability, analytical techniques, and soil microbial impact
Researchers reviewed the evidence on how bioplastics degrade in agricultural soils, finding that commonly used analytical techniques overestimate biodegradation rates because they measure surface changes rather than full carbon mineralization, meaning biodegradable microplastic residues may persist across seasons under realistic conditions.
Potential environmental impacts of bioplastic degradation in natural marine environments: A comprehensive review
This review examines the environmental impacts of biodegradable plastics degrading in marine environments, finding that their microscale breakdown raises significant concerns about contributing to microplastic pollution rather than eliminating it. The authors conclude that biodegradable plastics require reevaluation as petroleum-based plastic substitutes given the incomplete understanding of their behavior at the microscale in marine ecosystems.
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.
Biodegradable plastics: mechanisms of degradation and generated bio microplastic impact on soil health
This review explains how biodegradable plastics break down through mechanical, thermal, light, and microbial processes, but warns that they still produce tiny fragments called bio-microplastics during degradation. These bio-microplastic fragments can affect soil health in both positive and negative ways, meaning that switching to biodegradable plastics does not fully eliminate the microplastic problem.
Biodegradable plastics: Green hope or greenwashing?
This review examines biodegradable plastics and their limitations, finding that many do not break down effectively under real-world environmental conditions and may still fragment into microplastics. The authors caution that biodegradable plastics should not be viewed as a simple solution to plastic pollution without better standards and end-of-life infrastructure.
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.
Non-biodegradable microplastics in soils: A brief review and challenge
This brief review examines the sources, migration, distribution, biological effects, degradation, and analytical methods for non-biodegradable microplastics in soils, where they can persist for extended periods. It highlights challenges in tracking long-term microplastic accumulation in soil ecosystems and identifies key research priorities for understanding soil microplastic behavior.
Microplastic accumulation in soils: Unlocking the mechanism and biodegradation pathway
Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in soil and break down biologically, finding that certain microorganisms can form biofilms on plastic surfaces and use enzymes to slowly degrade the polymers — though conditions like pH, temperature, and moisture must be optimized and new plastic-degrading microbes need to be identified before this approach can be widely applied.
Biodegradable Polymers: Present Opportunities and Challenges in Providing a Microplastic‐Free Environment
This viewpoint examines whether biodegradable polymers can solve the microplastic pollution problem, concluding that while they show promise, their biodegradability in real-world natural environments (versus industrial composting conditions) is often uncertain. The authors call for intensive research into truly environmentally degradable materials and smart degradation mechanisms.
Novel insight into the in-situ study of biodegradable microplastics in soil aggregates
An in-situ study of biodegradable microplastic degradation under real environmental conditions revealed insights into how quickly these materials actually break down compared to lab predictions. The findings show that biodegradation rates in nature often differ significantly from those measured in controlled experiments.
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.