The rate of biodegradation of PHA bioplastics in the marine environment: A meta-study

Dilkes-Hoffman, Leela; Lant, Paul; Laycock, Bronwyn; Pratt, Steven

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.03.020

Cited by 175 publications

(113 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…This may be an important factor in long‐term fate of microplastics (Figure ). Characteristics of the surrounding environment are also controlling (Dilkes‐Hoffman et al, ). For example, the above biopolymers are denser than water and hence will sink.…”

Section: The Nature Of Plastics and Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

Hale¹,

Seeley²,

Guardia³

et al. 2020

JGR Oceans

733

270

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Society has become increasingly reliant on plastics since commercial production began in about 1950. Their versatility, stability, light weight, and low production costs have fueled global demand. Most plastics are initially used and discarded on land. Nonetheless, the amount of microplastics in some oceanic compartments is predicted to double by 2030. To solve this global problem, we must understand plastic composition, physical forms, uses, transport, and fragmentation into microplastics (and nanoplastics). Plastic debris/microplastics arise from land disposal, wastewater treatment, tire wear, paint failure, textile washing, and at-sea losses. Riverine and atmospheric transport, storm water, and disasters facilitate releases. In surface waters plastics/microplastics weather, biofoul, aggregate, and sink, are ingested by organisms and redistributed by currents. Ocean sediments are likely the ultimate destination. Plastics release additives, concentrate environmental contaminants, and serve as substrates for biofilms, including exotic and pathogenic species. Microplastic abundance increases as fragment size decreases, as does the proportion of organisms capable of ingesting them. Particles <20 μm may penetrate cell membranes, exacerbating risks. Exposure can compromise feeding, metabolic processes, reproduction, and behavior. But more investigation is required to draw definitive conclusions. Human ingestion of contaminated seafood and water is a concern. Microplastics indoors present yet uncharacterized risks, magnified by the time we spend inside (>90%) and the abundance of polymeric products therein. Scientific challenges include improving microplastic sampling and characterization approaches, understanding long-term behavior, additive bioavailability, and organismal and ecosystem health risks. Solutions include improving globally based pollution prevention, developing degradable polymers and additives, and reducing consumption/expanding plastic reuse.

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Section: The Nature Of Plastics and Microplasticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

Hale¹,

Seeley²,

Guardia³

et al. 2020

JGR Oceans

733

270

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our proposed initiative will re-direct the flow of fossil fuel-derived plastics away from the environment and into the economy. renewable, compostable biomaterials including "edibles" and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) (Shit and Shah, 2014;Dilkes-Hoffman et al, 2019a) derived from sustainable sources such as seaweed (Rajendran et al, 2012) and biomass residues (FAO, 2016b). These are ideal materials for problematic applications such as sachets and agricultural films (Dilkes-Hoffman et al, 2019b) as well as aquaculture and fishing gear likely to be lost at sea (Park et al, 2010;Bilkovic et al, 2012;Bugnicourt et al, 2014;Kim et al, 2016;UNEP, 2018).…”

Section: Principles Of a Solutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eliminating Plastic Pollution: How a Voluntary Contribution From Industry Will Drive the Circular Plastics Economy

et al. 2019

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Marine plastic pollution is a symptom of an inherently wasteful linear plastic economy, costing us more than US$ 2.2 trillion per year. Of the 6.3 billion tonnes of fossil fuel-derived plastic (FFP) waste produced to date, only 9% has been recycled; the rest being incinerated (12%) or dumped into the environment (79%). FFPs take centuries to degrade, meaning five billion tonnes of increasingly fragmented and dangerous plastics have accumulated in our oceans, soil and air. Rates of FFP production and waste are growing rapidly, driven by increased demand and shifting strategies of oil and gas companies responding to slowing profit growth. Without effective recycling, the harm caused by FFP waste will keep increasing, jeopardizing first marine life and ultimately humankind. In this Perspective article, we review the global costs of plastic pollution and explain why solving this is imperative for humanity's well-being. We show that FFP pollution is far beyond a marine environmental issue: it now invades our bodies, causing disease and dysfunction, while millions of adults and children work in conditions akin to slavery, picking through our waste. We argue that an integrated economic and technical solution, catalyzed through a voluntary industry-led contribution from new FFP production, is central to arrest plastic waste flows by making used plastic a cashable commodity, incentivizing recovery and accelerating industrialization of polymerto-polymer technologies. Without much-needed systematic transformation, driven by a contribution from FFP production, humanity and the oceans face a troubling future.

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“…The main strengths of the PHB that make it suitable for this type of application are its natural origin, its biodegradability, the absence of toxicity, and the high service temperature [ 5 ]. Indeed, PHB presents mechanical properties in terms of a stiffness and strength that is similar to PP, good barrier properties, which are comparable or even superior to PET [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ], and it is biodegradable in different environments, such as soil and marine [ 7 , 11 , 12 ], and compostable at lab-scale, industrial, and home composting conditions [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study of the Compatibilization Effect of Different Reactive Agents in PHB/Natural Fiber-Based Composites

et al. 2020

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Fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion is one of the key factors governing the final properties of natural fiber-based polymer composites. In this work, four extrusion reactive agents were tested as potential compatibilizers in polyhydroxylbutyrate (PHB)/cellulose composites: dicumyl peroxide (DCP), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI), resorcinol diglycidyl ether (RDGE), and triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC). The influence of the fibers and the different reactive agents on the mechanical properties, physical aging, and crystallization behavior were assessed. To evaluate the compatibilization effectiveness of each reactive agent, highly purified commercial cellulose fibers (TC90) were used as reference filler. Then, the influence of fiber purity on the compatibilization effect of the reactive agent HMDI was evaluated using untreated (U_RH) and chemically purified (T_RH) rice husk fibers, comparing the results with the ones using TC90 fibers. The results show that reactive agents interact with the polymer matrix at different levels, but all compositions showed a drastic embrittlement due to the aging of PHB. No clear compatibilization effect was found using DCP, RDGE, or TGIC reactive agents. On the other hand, the fiber–polymer interfacial adhesion was enhanced with HMDI. The purity of the fiber played an important role in the effectiveness of HMDI as a compatibilizer, since composites with highly purified fibers showed the greatest improvements in tensile strength and the most favorable morphology. None of the reactive agents negatively affected the compostability of PHB. Finally, thermoformed trays with good mold reproducibility were successfully obtained for PHB/T_RH/HMDI composition.

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The rate of biodegradation of PHA bioplastics in the marine environment: A meta-study

Cited by 175 publications

References 41 publications

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

Eliminating Plastic Pollution: How a Voluntary Contribution From Industry Will Drive the Circular Plastics Economy

Study of the Compatibilization Effect of Different Reactive Agents in PHB/Natural Fiber-Based Composites

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