{"title":"A review of biodegradation and formation of biodegradable microplastics in soil and freshwater environments","authors":"Nehala Sona Payanthoth, Nik Nurhidayu Nik Mut, Palas Samanta, Guanlin Li, Jinho Jung","doi":"10.1186/s13765-024-00959-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plastic pollution is of critical environmental concern, thus biodegradable plastics (BPs) have emerged as a potential solution to limit plastic waste accumulation. However, the fate of BPs in the environment, particularly their degradation and the subsequent generation of biodegradable microplastic (BMP) particles, remains poorly understood. This review aims to provide comprehensive insights into the biodegradation process of BPs and their impacts on soil and freshwater environments. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in this process by dismantling polymer chains into smaller particles. Factors influencing biodegradation rates include polymer composition, environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, ultraviolet radiation (UV), and pH), and the presence of chemical additives. However, incomplete degradation can result in BMPs, potentially perpetuating their presence in the environment and posing risks to ecosystems and organisms. This review consolidates understanding the mechanisms governing biodegradation and BMP formation, which is imperative for evaluating their environmental consequences and devising effective strategies for managing plastic waste.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":467,"journal":{"name":"Applied Biological Chemistry","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://applbiolchem.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13765-024-00959-7","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Applied Biological Chemistry","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13765-024-00959-7","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Plastic pollution is of critical environmental concern, thus biodegradable plastics (BPs) have emerged as a potential solution to limit plastic waste accumulation. However, the fate of BPs in the environment, particularly their degradation and the subsequent generation of biodegradable microplastic (BMP) particles, remains poorly understood. This review aims to provide comprehensive insights into the biodegradation process of BPs and their impacts on soil and freshwater environments. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in this process by dismantling polymer chains into smaller particles. Factors influencing biodegradation rates include polymer composition, environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, ultraviolet radiation (UV), and pH), and the presence of chemical additives. However, incomplete degradation can result in BMPs, potentially perpetuating their presence in the environment and posing risks to ecosystems and organisms. This review consolidates understanding the mechanisms governing biodegradation and BMP formation, which is imperative for evaluating their environmental consequences and devising effective strategies for managing plastic waste.
期刊介绍:
Applied Biological Chemistry aims to promote the interchange and dissemination of scientific data among researchers in the field of agricultural and biological chemistry. The journal covers biochemistry and molecular biology, medical and biomaterial science, food science, and environmental science as applied to multidisciplinary agriculture.