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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Degradation behavior and environmental impacts of a hemp-containing “eco-friendly” compostable plastic in natural environments
ClearBiodegradation Properties of Cellulose Fibers and PLA Biopolymer
Researchers tested how quickly natural fibers like hemp, jute, and sisal break down in soil compared to PLA bioplastic, which is often marketed as eco-friendly. The natural cellulose fibers degraded significantly within days, while PLA broke down much more slowly. This matters because slow-degrading bioplastics can still fragment into microplastics, meaning they may not be the environmental solution many assume.
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.
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.
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 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.
Performance Spectrum of Home-Compostable Biopolymer Fibers Compared to a Petrochemical Alternative
Researchers compared home-compostable biopolymer fibers to conventional petrochemical alternatives, evaluating their mechanical performance and degradability to assess whether biobased materials can serve as viable substitutes that reduce microplastic pollution.
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.
Evaluation of Eco-Friendly Hemp-Fiber-Reinforced Recycled HDPE Composites
Researchers developed hemp-fiber-reinforced recycled HDPE composites from postconsumer plastic waste, demonstrating that these sustainable biocomposites can serve as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional wood-plastic composite products.
The effect of biodegradable plastics on microplastic accumulation and exposure
Researchers developed a comprehensive method to quantify microplastic accumulation from biodegradable polymers in natural environments, examining whether biodegradable alternatives actually reduce plastic loads compared to conventional polymers under real-world outdoor conditions.
Biodegradation of Wasted Bioplastics in Natural and Industrial Environments: A Review
This review examines the biodegradation of bioplastics in both natural environments and industrial composting facilities, finding that many bioplastics degrade far more slowly outside industrial conditions than their labeling implies.
Soil-biodegradable mulch film: Distinguishing between persistent microplastics and fragments released from certified soil-biodegradable products
Researchers incubated a certified soil-biodegradable mulch film in agricultural soil and used μ-FTIR microscopy to track fragmentation and biodegradation kinetics, distinguishing between fragments that biodegraded within the study period and those that would persist as microplastics.
Field studies on the deterioration of microplastic films from ultra-thin compostable bags in soil
Researchers found that ultra-thin compostable plastic bag films used for food waste collection degrade poorly in agricultural soil, with industrial compost containing undeteriorated fragments that persist after field application and raise concerns about compostable plastics as a source of soil microplastic contamination.
Advances in environmental degradation and impact of degradable plastics
This review clarifies definitions and classifications of degradable plastics and summarizes their degradation characteristics in water, soil, aerobic composting, and anaerobic digestion environments, finding that degradability remains conditional and dependent on specific polymer type, temperature, and duration. The authors also assess the potential environmental and biological impacts of microplastic fragments and additive byproducts released during degradation.
Analysis of the microplastic emission potential of a starch-based biodegradable plastic material
Researchers developed a method to assess the microplastic emission potential of biodegradable starch-based plastics under environmental conditions, finding that even materials labeled biodegradable can fragment into persistent microplastic particles depending on environmental degradation pathways.
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.
Soil-Biodegradable Mulch Film: Distinguishing Between Persistent Microplastics and Fragments Released from Certified Soil-Biodegradable Products
Researchers investigated whether the certified soil-biodegradable mulch film ecovio M2351 produces persistent microplastics during degradation, incubating cryomilled fragments and 1 cm2 film pieces in agricultural soil under standardized ISO 17556 laboratory conditions. Fragment formation was quantified using micro-computed tomography and other analyses to distinguish transient biodegradable fragments from persistent microplastic residues.
El desarrollo de plástico biodegradable a partir del cáñamo por estímulo microbiano
Researchers developed a biodegradable plastic using hemp (Cannabis sativa) fiber in conjunction with microbial stimulation, exploiting the structural properties of the hemp stalk fiber as a biopolymer matrix. The study demonstrated the technical feasibility of producing plant-derived bioplastics as an alternative to petroleum-based polymers contributing to microplastic pollution.
Characterising fragmentation of compostable bioplastic: releasing microplastics or small bioplastic debris
Researchers tested compostable bioplastic bin bags under real-use conditions with food waste and found that, despite being stable in water and heat alone, the bags fragmented within one week when in contact with food residues, releasing debris that resembles microplastics. The study highlights the need to distinguish between persistent conventional microplastics and bioplastic fragments, as both can enter the environment if waste is mismanaged.
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.
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.
Analysis of the Mechanical Degradability of Biodegradable Polymer-Based Bags in Different Environments
Researchers analyzed the mechanical degradability of biodegradable polymer-based bags under simulated environmental conditions, measuring fragmentation rates and the physical characteristics of resulting particles. The bags fragmented into microplastic-sized pieces under mechanical stress comparable to environmental conditions, raising concerns that biodegradable bags may contribute to environmental microplastic loads during incomplete degradation.
Degradation Pattern of Five Biodegradable, Potentially Low-Environmental-Impact Mulches under Laboratory Conditions
Five biodegradable plastic mulch materials were tested under laboratory conditions, with results showing highly variable degradation rates and completeness, raising questions about whether products marketed as biodegradable actually break down fully in field conditions.
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.
Fragmentation and Mineralization of a Compostable Aromatic–Aliphatic Polyester during Industrial Composting
Researchers tracked the fragmentation and biodegradation of a compostable aromatic-aliphatic polyester spiked into compost under industrial composting conditions, finding that while disintegration occurred as expected, microplastic-sized fragments with incomplete mineralization raised concerns about residual polymer persistence.