End of Life of Biodegradable Plastics: Composting versus Re/Upcycling.

ChemSusChem

Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Via Terracini 28, 40131, Bologna, Italy.

Published: October 2021

Nowadays the issues related to the end of life of traditional plastics are very urgent due to the important pollution problems that plastics have caused. Biodegradable plastics can help to try to mitigate these problems, but even bioplastics need much attention to carefully evaluate the different options for plastic waste disposal. In this Minireview, three different end-of-life scenarios (composting, recycling, and upcycling) were evaluated in terms of literature review. As a result, the ability of bioplastics to be biodegraded by composting has been related to physical variables and materials characteristics. Hence, it is possible to deduce that the process is mature enough to be a good way to minimize bioplastic waste and valorize it for the production of a fertilizer. Recycling and upcycling options, which could open up many interesting new scenarios for the production of high-value materials, are less studied. Research in this area can be strongly encouraged.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8518687PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202101226DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

biodegradable plastics
8
recycling upcycling
8
life biodegradable
4
plastics
4
plastics composting
4
composting versus
4
versus re/upcycling
4
re/upcycling nowadays
4
nowadays issues
4
issues life
4

Similar Publications

Biodegradable plastics (BPs) and lignite, both rich in organic matter, present significant challenges for efficient conversion into clean energy. This study examined the anaerobic co-digestion of BPs and lignite under controlled laboratory conditions. The results demonstrated that the co-digestion of polylactic acid (PLA) and lignite (at a 1:2 mass ratio, with 5 g PLA and 10 g lignite as the model system) rapidly acclimated to the anaerobic environment, enhancing cumulative biogas production by 57 % compared to the mono-digestion of lignite alone.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Converting multiple hydrophobic aromatic plastic monomers into a single water-soluble substrate to increase bioavailability for the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates by bacteria using batch, fed batch and continuous cultivation.

J Biotechnol

December 2024

School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences, University College Dublin, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland; BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre, O'Brien Centre for Science [Science East], University College Dublin, Dublin D04 N2E5, Ireland. Electronic address:

We demonstrate the proof of concept of increasing the bioavailability of carbon substrates, derived from plastic waste, for their conversion to the biodegradable polymer polyhydroxyalkanoate [PHA] by bacteria and test various approaches to PHA accumulation through batch, fed batch and continuous culture. Styrene, ethylbenzene, and toluene are produced from the pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste (Kaminsky, 2021; Miandad et al., 2017), but they are volatile and poorly soluble in water making them difficult to work with in aqueous fermentation systems.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Biodegradable plastics, regarded as an ideal substitute for traditional plastics, are increasingly utilized across various industries. However, due to their unique degradation properties, they can generate microplastics (MPs) at a faster rate, potentially posing a threat to plant development. This study employed transcriptomics and metabolomics to investigate the effects of polylactic acid microplastics (PLA-MPs) on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of Brassica chinensis L.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ecotoxicity of Biodegradable Microplastics and Bio-based Microplastics: A Review of in vitro and in vivo Studies.

Environ Manage

December 2024

College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, 712100, PR China.

As biodegradable and bio-based plastics increasingly replace conventional plastics, the need for a comprehensive understanding of their ecotoxicity becomes more pressing. This review systematically presents the ecotoxicity of the microplastics (MPs) from different biodegradable plastics and bioplastics on various animals and plants. High doses of polylactic acid (PLA) MPs (10%) have been found to reduce plant nitrogen content and biomass, and affect the accumulation of heavy metals in plants.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

[Degradation Characteristics of PBAT Fully Biodegradable Mulch Film].

Huan Jing Ke Xue

January 2025

College of Ecology and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China.

Replacing traditional plastic mulch with fully biodegradable mulch is an important research direction to solve the problem of "white pollution," but whether it can truly realize biodegradation is still the focus of many scholars. In this study, field and indoor experiments were carried out in Pingluo County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, using poly(butyleneadipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) fully biodegradable mulch film and ordinary polyethylene (PE) mulch film, with no mulch film (CK) as the control. Macroscopic characteristics such as the degree of apparent cracking of the mulch film, loss of the mulch film area, and the rate of weight loss were observed, and the results were combined with the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetry (TGR).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!