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Sustainable struggling: decoding microplastic released from bioplastics—a critical review

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Abstract

This comprehensive review delves into the complex issue of plastic pollution, focusing on the emergence of biodegradable plastics (BDPs) as a potential alternative to traditional plastics. While BDPs seem promising, recent findings reveal that a large number of BDPs do not fully degrade in certain natural conditions, and they often break down into microplastics (MPs) even faster than conventional plastics. Surprisingly, research suggests that biodegradable microplastics (BDMPs) could have more significant and long-lasting effects than petroleum-based MPs in certain environments. Thus, it is crucial to carefully assess the ecological consequences of BDPs before widely adopting them commercially. This review thoroughly examines the formation of MPs from prominent BDPs, their impacts on the environment, and adsorption capacities. Additionally, it explores how BDMPs affect different species, such as plants and animals within a particular ecosystem. Overall, these discussions highlight potential ecological threats posed by BDMPs and emphasize the need for further scientific investigation before considering BDPs as a perfect solution to plastic pollution.

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Abbreviations

PBAT:

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate

PLA:

Polylactic acid

PHA:

Polyhydroxy-alkanoates

PBS:

Polybutylene succinate

PCL:

Polycaprolactone

PHBV:

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)

PE:

Polyethylene

PP:

Polypropylene

PET:

Polyethylene terephthalate

PS:

Polystyrene

LDPE:

Low-density polyethylene

BDPs:

Biodegradable plastics

BDMPs:

Biodegradable microplastics

NBDMPs:

Non-biodegradable microplastics

MPs:

Microplastics

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 811213, Taiwan

    Wazir Aitizaz Ahsan, Chitsan Lin & Adnan Hussain

  2. Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 811213, Taiwan

    Chitsan Lin

  3. Advanced Textile R&D, Department Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea

    Mahshab Sheraz

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  1. Wazir Aitizaz Ahsan
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  3. Adnan Hussain
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Wazir Aitizaz Ahsan: Conceptualization, Original draft writing, Editing, and Revising the final draft; Chitsan Lin: Supervision, Validation; Adnan Hussain: Reviewing and Editing.; Mahshab Sheraz Visualization and Validation. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript the manuscript has been read and approved by all authors.

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Correspondence to Chitsan Lin.

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Ahsan, W.A., Lin, C., Hussain, A. et al. Sustainable struggling: decoding microplastic released from bioplastics—a critical review. Environ Monit Assess 196, 554 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12721-z

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