Effect of diverse weathering conditions on the physicochemical properties of biodegradable plastic mulches

Hayes, Douglas G.; Wadsworth, Larry C.; Sintim, Henry Y.; Flury, Markus; English, Marie E.; Schaeffer, Sean M.; Saxton, Arnold M.

doi:10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.07.027

Cited by 96 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Bio-based content was provided by the manufacturers. Data reported from Hayes et al (2017). with full experimental details described in Sintim et al (2019) and Ghimire et al (2018b).…”

Section: Field Trial Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of biodegradable plastic film mulching on soil microbial communities in two agroecosystems

Bandopadhyay

Sintim

DeBruyn

2020

PeerJ

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Plastic mulch films are used globally in crop production but incur considerable disposal and environmental pollution issues. Biodegradable plastic mulch films (BDMs), an alternative to polyethylene (PE)-based films, are designed to be tilled into the soil where they are expected to be mineralized to carbon dioxide, water and microbial biomass. However, insufficient research regarding the impacts of repeated soil incorporation of BDMs on soil microbial communities has partly contributed to limited adoption of BDMs. In this study, we evaluated the effects of BDM incorporation on soil microbial community structure and function over two years in two geographical locations: Knoxville, TN, and in Mount Vernon, WA, USA. Treatments included four plastic BDMs (three commercially available and one experimental film), a biodegradable cellulose paper mulch, a non-biodegradable PE mulch and a no mulch plot. Bacterial community structure determined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed significant differences by location and season. Differences in bacterial communities by mulch treatment were not significant for any season in either location, except for Fall 2015 in WA where differences were observed between BDMs and no-mulch plots. Extracellular enzyme assays were used to characterize communities functionally, revealing significant differences by location and sampling season in both TN and WA but minimal differences between BDMs and PE treatments. Overall, BDMs had comparable influences on soil microbial communities to PE mulch films.

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“…Bio-based content was provided by the manufacturers. Data reported from Hayes et al (2017). with full experimental details described in Sintim et al (2019) and Ghimire et al (2018b).…”

Section: Field Trial Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of biodegradable plastic film mulching on soil microbial communities in two agroecosystems

Bandopadhyay

Sintim

DeBruyn

2020

PeerJ

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“…Different from those mulch films produced with PE, the studies focusing on weathering and physicochemical properties of biodegradable mulch films in varied climate conditions are still scarce. The same occurs for field trials and simulated weathering comparisons for such products …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

A new approach for flexible PBAT/PLA/CaCO₃ films into agriculture

Rocha

Carvalho

Oliveira

et al. 2018

J of Applied Polymer Sci

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The use of flexible films in agriculture has increased intensely in the last 15 years bringing benefits to producers. However, environmental impacts increased due to their incorrect post‐use disposal which leads the degradable films to emerge as an alternative. The production films of poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) and poly(lactic acid) reinforced with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was studied focusing on producing lower cost materials and flexible films. Four different films (reinforcement compositions) were prepared by melt extrusion with 10 and 20 wt % of CaCO3. Mechanical and thermal properties, crystallinity, water absorption, and soil degradation, were evaluated. The addition of reinforcement leads to improved compatibility between the polymers in the matrix, which usually presented phase segregation. The films showed better mechanical properties with the addition of CaCO3. Highly orientated amorphous structures were obtained leading to low water absorption and low degradation in the simulated soil. This low degradation, suggests that the obtained films would be of interest in flexible mulch films manufacturing, particularly for Muridori plantation system, where long‐term plantations are needed. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46660.

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“…Tilled into soil, BDMs are a very small input of carbon when taking into account the volume of soil into which they are incorporated (5). For comparison, the input of mulch carbon added to the soil in this study was a significantly smaller amount (6-25 g C m -2 ) (51) compared to the amount added from cover crop residues (142 g C m -2 ) (52). However, the growth of soil microbes in agricultural soil is usually carbon-limited and several studies have demonstrated responses by soil microbes to these small inputs (5).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Structural and Functional Responses of Soil Microbial Communities to Biodegradable Plastic Film Mulching in Two Agroecosystems

Bandopadhyay

Sintim

DeBruyn

2019

Preprint

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18Polyethylene (PE) plastic mulch films are used globally in crop production but incur considerable 19 disposal and environmental pollution issues. Biodegradable plastic mulch films (BDMs), an 20 alternative to PE-based films, are designed to be tilled into the soil where they are expected to be 21 mineralized to carbon dioxide, water and microbial biomass. However inadequate research 22 regarding the impacts of repeated incorporation of BDMs on soil microbial communities has partly 23 contributed to limited adoption of BDMs. In this study, we evaluated the effects of BDM 24 incorporation on soil microbial community structure and function over two years in two 25 geographical locations: Knoxville, TN, and in Mount Vernon, WA. Treatments included four 26 plastic BDMs, a completely biodegradable cellulose mulch, a non-biodegradable PE mulch and a 27 no mulch plot. Bacterial community structure determined using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing 28 revealed significant differences by location and season. Differences in bacterial communities by 29 mulch treatment were not significant for any season in either location, except for Fall 2015 in WA 30 where differences were observed between BDMs and no-mulch plots. Extracellular enzyme rate 31 assays were used to characterize communities functionally, revealing significant differences by 32 location and sampling season in both TN and WA but minimal differences between BDMs and PE 33 treatments. Limited effects of BDM incorporation on soil bacterial community structure and soil 34 enzyme activities when compared to PE suggest that BDMs have comparable influences on soil 35 microbial communities, and therefore could be considered an alternative to PE. 36 Importance 37 Plastic film mulches increase crop yields and improve fruit quality. Most plastic mulches are made 38 of polyethylene (PE), which is poorly degradable, resulting in undesirable end-of-life outcomes. 39 Biodegradable mulches (BDMs) may be a sustainable alternative to PE. BDMs are made of 40 3 polymers which can be degraded by soil microbial enzymes, and are meant to be tilled into soil 41 after use. However, uncertainty about impacts of tilled-in BDMs on soil health has restricted 42 adoption of BDMs. Our previous research showed BDMs did not have a major effect on a wide 43 range of soil quality indicators (Sintim et al. 2019); here we focus on soil microbial communities, 44 showing that BDMs do not have detectable effects on soil microbial communities and their 45 functions, at least over the short term. This informs growers and regulators about use of BDMs in 46 crop production, paving a way for an agricultural practice that reduces environmental plastic 47 pollution.48

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Effect of diverse weathering conditions on the physicochemical properties of biodegradable plastic mulches

Cited by 96 publications

References 40 publications

Effects of biodegradable plastic film mulching on soil microbial communities in two agroecosystems

Effects of biodegradable plastic film mulching on soil microbial communities in two agroecosystems

A new approach for flexible PBAT/PLA/CaCO₃ films into agriculture

Structural and Functional Responses of Soil Microbial Communities to Biodegradable Plastic Film Mulching in Two Agroecosystems

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Effect of diverse weathering conditions on the physicochemical properties of biodegradable plastic mulches

Cited by 96 publications

References 40 publications

Effects of biodegradable plastic film mulching on soil microbial communities in two agroecosystems

Effects of biodegradable plastic film mulching on soil microbial communities in two agroecosystems

A new approach for flexible PBAT/PLA/CaCO3 films into agriculture

Structural and Functional Responses of Soil Microbial Communities to Biodegradable Plastic Film Mulching in Two Agroecosystems

Contact Info

Product

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A new approach for flexible PBAT/PLA/CaCO₃ films into agriculture