An insight on sources and biodegradation of bioplastics: a review

Abstract

Durability and affordability are two main reasons for the widespread consumption of plastic in the world. However, the inability of these materials to undergo degradation has become a significant threat to the environment and human health To address this issue, bioplastics have emerged as a promising alternative. Bioplastics are obtained from renewable and sustainable biomass and have a lower carbon footprint and emit fewer greenhouse gases than petroleum-based plastics. The use of these bioplastics sourced from renewable biomass can also reduce the dependency on fossil fuels, which are limited in availability. This review provides an elaborate comparison of biodegradation rates of potential bioplastics in soil from various sources such as biomass, microorganisms, and monomers. These bioplastics show great potential as a replacement for conventional plastics due to their biodegradable and diverse properties.

Zein-Based Nanoparticles as Active Platforms for Sustainable Applications: Recent Advances and Perspectives

“…For example, due to its good barrier and hydrophobic properties, zein can be considered as a promising material for biodegradable and eco-friendly packaging [ 34 ], playing an important role in the production of food coatings, both to protect their freshness and to preserve their organoleptic properties. In fact, coatings of fruit and vegetables with a layer of plasticized zein delays processes such as germination, ripening, and rancidity, reducing moisture loss and inhibiting microbial growth, while improving their shelf life [ 35 ]. Recently, zein has been used in the cultural heritage sector to develop a sustainable spray coating for the protection of Pietra Serena substrates.…”

Microplastics Pollution in Aquatic Environment: A Review of Abundance, Distribution, and Composition in the Egyptian Coastal Waters

“…Biopolymers can be divided into unmodified biopolymers and modified biopolymers. Unmodified biopolymers such as starch, cellulose and lignin, which are naturally occurring unmodified biopolymers; their modified variants thermoplastic starch, cellulose acetate and lignin-based polymers, are modified biopolymers (Pooja et al, 2023). In function of their size, plastic fragments can be classified in macroand mesoplastics (> 5mm), microplastics (MPs < 5mm) and nanoplastics (NPs, with a range size from 1nm to 1mm) (Mariano et al, 2021).…”