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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Study of the Biodegradation of PLA/PBAT Films after Biodegradation Tests in Soil and the Aqueous Medium
ClearDegradation of Polylactic Acid/Polypropylene Carbonate Films in Soil and Phosphate Buffer and Their Potential Usefulness in Agriculture and Agrochemistry
Researchers studied how blends of polylactic acid and polypropylene carbonate, two biodegradable plastics being promoted as eco-friendly alternatives, break down in soil and in laboratory conditions over time. The degradation was slow and incomplete, with the films losing weight and molecular structure gradually over 24 months. This raises concerns that even biodegradable plastics may persist in the environment long enough to fragment into microplastics before fully breaking down.
The fate of post-use biodegradable PBAT-based mulch films buried in agricultural soil
Scientists tracked the breakdown of a biodegradable mulch film in farm soil over 16 months and found that while the film lost more than half its surface area, it released microplastics into the surrounding soil during the process. About 17-23% of the original film material was still recoverable from the soil after nearly 500 days. The study shows that even biodegradable plastics can be a source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Generation of Microplastics from Biodegradable Packaging Films Based on PLA, PBS and Their Blend in Freshwater and Seawater
Researchers studied how biodegradable plastic films made from PLA, PBS, and their blends break down in freshwater and seawater over several months. All films generated microplastic particles as they degraded, with different water environments producing different amounts and types of fragments. This study challenges the idea that biodegradable plastics are a clean solution, since they still create microplastics during breakdown in natural water systems.
Ecotoxicity of Biodegradable Microplastics and Bio-based Microplastics: A Review of in vitro and in vivo Studies
This review examines whether "eco-friendly" biodegradable and bio-based plastics are truly safer than conventional plastics when they break down into microplastics. The findings show that many biodegradable plastics, including popular types like PLA and PBAT, can still cause harm to plants and aquatic organisms, suggesting that simply switching to biodegradable materials does not eliminate microplastic 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.
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.
Degradation of biodegradable plastic films in soil: microplastics formation and soil microbial community dynamics
Scientists tracked what happens when biodegradable PBAT plastic films break down in soil over 180 days and found they release microplastics that peaked before declining. Fungi broke the films into smaller pieces while bacteria consumed the fragments, suggesting that even plastics marketed as biodegradable generate microplastics during their breakdown, though soil microbes can eventually help clean them up.
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.
Generation of biodegradable microplastics from commercially available PBAT and PLA-based plastic bags in water: Impacts of UVA and water medium
Researchers tested how commercially available biodegradable plastic bags made from PBAT and PLA degrade in water under UVA light and dark conditions over 12 weeks. They found that both materials degraded faster in pure water than seawater, and UVA light significantly accelerated breakdown, but neither fully decomposed. The study confirms that biodegradable plastics generate microplastic fragments during incomplete degradation in aquatic environments.
Ecotoxicological Impact of Bioplastics Biodegradation: A Comprehensive Review
This comprehensive review examines whether leading bioplastics (PHA, PLA, PBS, PBSA) actually biodegrade safely in aquatic and soil environments, noting that not all bioplastics fully degrade and some may still generate plastic fragments. The study flags a key knowledge gap: even for genuinely biodegradable polymers, the ecotoxicological effects of their degradation byproducts on soil organisms and aquatic life remain poorly understood and need further research.
Mineralization and microbial utilization of poly(lactic acid) microplastic in soil
Researchers tracked how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a common biodegradable plastic, actually break down in different agricultural soils. They found that standard testing methods significantly overestimate how quickly PLA degrades because they fail to account for interactions with soil organic matter. The study reveals that PLA microplastics may persist longer in some soils than previously thought, raising questions about how truly biodegradable these materials are in real-world conditions.
Stability and Mobility of Biodegradable Nanoplastics in the Subsurface
Researchers studied the stability and mobility of biodegradable nanoplastics derived from polybutylene adipate co-terephthalate (PBAT) agricultural mulch in both pristine and weathered forms under varying soil and water conditions, finding that fragmentation products can persist and migrate through subsurface flow despite the biodegradable designation.
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.
Quantitative methodology for poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastic detection in soil and compost
Researchers developed a quantitative methodology for detecting poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) microplastics in soil and compost matrices, addressing the need to monitor biodegradable mulch film fragmentation and mineralization in agricultural environments. The method enabled accurate measurement of PBAT microplastic concentrations across environmentally relevant matrices, providing a tool to assess the fate of biodegradable plastics in agroecosystems.
Poly (butylene adipate terephthalate) degradation products and their influence on plant progression and soil microbial diversity
This study examined how the biodegradable plastic PBAT degrades in soil and what effects its degradation products have on Chinese cabbage growth and soil microbial diversity, finding that degradation varied with particle size and that soil microbiomes shifted as PBAT broke down. The findings matter for assessing whether "biodegradable" mulch films truly disappear benignly or leave behind microplastic fragments and microbial disruption in agricultural soils.
Unravelling 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.
Anaerobic Degradation of Aromatic and Aliphatic Biodegradable Plastics: Potential Mechanisms and Pathways.
This study examined how biodegradable plastics — PBAT and PLA — break down under anaerobic conditions in digestion systems, finding that microbial communities degrade them through distinct biochemical pathways. Understanding how biodegradable plastics decompose in real-world conditions like landfills and wastewater treatment is important for evaluating whether they truly degrade safely.
Investigating aquatic biodegradation and changes in the properties of pristine and UV-irradiated microplastics from conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastics
Researchers compared the biodegradation of conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastic mulching films in aquatic environments, testing both pristine and UV-weathered samples. The study found that while biodegradable plastics break down well under controlled composting conditions, their degradation in non-target environments like water bodies is considerably less predictable.
Aging of biodegradable microplastics and their effect on soil properties: Control from soil water
Researchers studied how biodegradable microplastics made from PLA and PBAT break down in different soil types under varying water conditions. They found that while these plastics aged more in dry and alternating wet-dry conditions, flooded conditions caused bigger changes to soil chemistry, including increased dissolved organic carbon. The study suggests that even biodegradable plastics can meaningfully alter soil properties, and the effects depend heavily on moisture conditions.
Aging of biodegradable blended plastic generates microplastics and attached bacterial communities in air and aqueous environments
Researchers aged biodegradable plastic blends in both air and water, finding that fragmentation into microplastics was inevitable before complete degradation, and that the resulting particles attracted distinct bacterial communities compared to conventional plastics. The study raises concerns that biodegradable plastics may still pose environmental risks during the microplastic phase of their breakdown.
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.
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.
Biodegradable Plastics: Biodegradation Percentage and Potential Microplastic Contamination in Seawater
This study tested the biodegradation of several commercially available biodegradable plastics in seawater, finding that most broke down incompletely and could still generate microplastic fragments. The findings challenge marketing claims about biodegradable plastics and highlight the risk that these materials pose as microplastic sources in marine environments.
Field test on the biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based mulch films in soil
Researchers buried four types of supposedly biodegradable plastic mulch films — used in farming to suppress weeds — in agricultural soil for over two years and found that all four still left behind microplastic fragments. This shows that even biodegradable plastics can accumulate in soil if used repeatedly each growing season.