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Biodegradable plastic agricultural mulches and key features of microbial degradation

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Abstract

The development of biodegradable plastic mulch films for use in agriculture has been ongoing for decades. These films consist of mixtures of polymers with various additives. As a result, their physical and chemical properties differ from those of the pure polymers often used for in vitro enzymatic and microbial degradation studies, raising questions about the biodegradation capability of mulch films. Currently, standards exist for the biodegradation of plastics in composting conditions but not in soil. Biodegradation in soil or compost depends on a complex synergy of biological and abiotic degradative processes. This review discusses the physicochemical and structural properties of biodegradable plastic mulches, examines their potential for on-site decomposition in light of site-to-site variance due to environmental and biological conditions, and considers the potential for long-term effects on agroecosystem sustainability and functionality.

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Acknowledgments

This review resulted from work funded by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Specialty Crops Research Initiative, Standard Research and Extension Project Grant Award No. 2009-02484.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Western Washington University, Mailstop 9160, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225-9160, USA

    Marion Brodhagen

  2. Department of Engineering, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225-9086, USA

    Mark Peyron

  3. Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, 16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA, 98273, USA

    Carol Miles & Debra Ann Inglis

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  1. Marion Brodhagen
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Correspondence to Marion Brodhagen.

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Brodhagen, M., Peyron, M., Miles, C. et al. Biodegradable plastic agricultural mulches and key features of microbial degradation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99, 1039–1056 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-6267-5

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