In food packaging industry, plastic was the most commonly used material for packaging, which caused serious pollution to the marine and soil environment. The researches on biodegradable films development from biodegradable polymers was arise, which was expected to ensure the quality and safety of food as much as possible. Biodegradable materials for films included polysaccharides and proteins of different biological sources, and synthetic materials. This review discussed the molecular characteristics and film-forming properties of natural polymer materials of polysaccharides from halobios, plant and microorganism, protein from animal, plant, milk. In addition, the effects of polymerization degree, crystallinity, and film-forming process of synthetic materials (polycaprolactone, polyvinyl alcohol, polylactic acid) on film performance was studied. In order to improve the practicality of biodegradable films in food packaging, many methods were explored to enhance the physical performance of the films. The enhancement strategies including: introduction of nanoparticles, chemical modification, and blending with other polymers, which can effectively enhance the mechanical properties and water vapor barrier performance of biodegradable films. Furthermore, it will provide a reference for future research interest that to development biodegradable food packaging films with high mechanical and barrier properties.

Microplastic pollution from the agriculture industry presents a growing environmental and public health concern, driven in part by the widespread use of poly(ethylene) (PE)-based mulch. While plastic mulch is essential for sustaining an increasing global population, its contribution to microplastic pollution necessitates alternative solutions. This work addresses the urgent need for biodegradable mulches (BDMs) that match the performance of traditional PE films. A comprehensive methodology is proposed for the development and characterization of novel BDM formulations, informed by scientific literature, regulatory guidelines, commercial practices, and industry standards. The proposed approach emphasizes scalable formulation and processing of biodegradable polymer feedstocks, avoiding toxic solvents through thermal blending. For laboratory-scale production, hot melt pressing and blow film molding techniques are highlighted for their ability to produce uniform and reproducible films. Uniaxial mechanical testing of dog bone-shaped samples is recommended for rapid performance screening against industry benchmarks while film stability, water absorption, and biodegradation are evaluated under simulated agricultural conditions. Analytical techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry are employed to characterize key properties, ensuring that the developed BDMs align with practical and environmental demands.

The EU plastic strategy aims to reduce the environmental impact of the increasing plastic production, by replacing petrochemical-based polymers with biodegradable ones. But this mitigation measure for the plastamination might, in turn, generate bio-based microplastics in environments that are not necessarily safe. Biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics, polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene (PP) respectively, and their leachates were used for testing microplastic (MP) effects on seven marine species from different trophic levels, including bacteria, algae, rotifers, copepods, amphipods and branchiopods. Results highlighted the toxic effects of both MPs for three consumers, but no toxicity for decomposers and primary producers. Leachates did not induce negative effects for five species tested. A dose-dependent toxic effect of both PP and PLA on different life stages of A. franciscana was observed, with more advanced stages being more sensitive to MPs in terms of mortality. Molecular analysis revealed increased mRNA levels of Heat shock proteins in A. franciscana metanauplii and adults, suggesting their role in oxidative stress response, and decreasing in juveniles, indicating potential irreversible damage. These results indicated that PLA and PP might have comparable ecotoxicological impacts, raising concerns about the effectiveness of biodegradable polymers in mitigation plastic pollution. The study also emphasizes the importance of considering different trophic levels, life stages, and feeding strategies when evaluating the toxic effects of MPs from a One Health perspective.

The increasing environmental concerns regarding plastic waste, especially in agriculture, have driven the search for sustainable alternatives. Agricultural plastics, such as mulching films and greenhouse covers, are heavily reliant on petrochemical-derived materials, which persist in the environment and contribute to long-term pollution. This study explores the use of biodegradable biocomposites made from steam explosion-treated chicken feathers and various polymer matrices to address these issues. Chicken feathers, a waste by-product of the poultry industry, present an excellent biodegradability as a result of the steam explosion treatment and contain nitrogen, potentially enhancing soil fertility. The biocomposites were characterized by thermal stability, mechanical properties, and biodegradability, and ecotoxicity assessments were carried out studying the incorporation of feathers into the soil. Results showed that the incorporation of treated chicken feathers increased the water absorption capacity of the composites, promoting faster disintegration and biodegradation. In particular, biocomposites made with polyhydroxyalkanoates and Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) exhibited a significant increase in degradation rates, from 3-10% in the first month for pure matrices to 40-50% when reinforced with treated feathers. Meanwhile, those made from polylactic acid showed slower degradation. Furthermore, the addition of feathers positively influenced crop growth at low concentrations, acting as a slow-release fertilizer. However, high concentrations of feathers negatively affect plant growth due to excess nitrogen. These findings highlight the potential of poultry feathers as a valuable, sustainable filler for agricultural bioplastics, contributing to waste valorization and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Using Aloe Vera powder (AV) at varying concentrations - 1, 2, and 3% - polylactic acid/aloe vera (PLA/AV) composite films were prepared using the solvent casting process. All of the composites were exposed to 10, 25, and 40 kGy of electron beam (EB) radiation. It was examined how the thermal and mechanical characteristics of PLA/AV films were affected by electron beam radiation. XRD, FTIR, TGA, and biodegradation (soil burial) were used to analyze the irradiation films' characteristics. The findings showed that doses up to 25 kGy increased the neat PLA's tensile strength (TS). At lower doses up to 10 kGy, the addition of AV raises the TS values (particularly at 2% concentration). It appears adding varying proportions of AV powder enhances the thermal stability of PLA/AV composites. Biodegradability showed that films with AV were the most biodegradable, while those without AV were the least.

Using tapes in drip irrigation is associated with environmental problems due to the accumulation of tapes in agricultural areas. Farmers either leave them on the fields or burn them or bury them. All three of these methods pose dangerous environmental hazards. To address this issue, it is recommended that these materials be produced from or with biodegradable materials. In this study, a biodegradable additive was used as a degradation accelerator in the production of tapes. After the production of these tapes, they were used under real conditions and during a growing season and in two treatments: below and on the soil surface, along with a canopy and without shade (beans and radishes). After 6 and 11 months, the tapes were sampled to investigate their degradation. The results showed that tapes made with oxo as an additive began to degrade more quickly than did conventional tapes. A reduction in properties such as weight (p 0.05), Young's modulus (p < 0.05) and toughness (p < 0.05) in tapes produced with oxo additives shows more and faster degradation than conventional tapes. Therefore, the use of oxo master batches in the production of tapes is possible and useful.

The fabrication of composite materials from lignin has attracted increasing attention to reducing the dependence of petrochemical-based resources on carbon neutrality. However, the low content of lignin in the biocomposites remains a challenge. Herein, industrial lignin is fractionated by an organic solvent to reduce its structural heterogeneity. Subsequently, the fractionated lignin samples are integrated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to fabricate plastics characterized by uniform thickness and smooth surfaces. The resultant composite films exhibit tensile strength and strain up to 75 MPa and 1050%, respectively, which surpass state-of-the-art lignin-based bioplastics. The mechanism investigations reveal that the enhanced mechanical properties are due to the internal non-covalent interactions derived from the hydroxyl groups of lignin and PVA. Notably, the PVA/lignin films are biodegradable after 92 days' burial in soil. This study paves the way for the rational design of lignin-based biodegradable polymers as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.

Developing bio-blends and biocomposites has become a widespread strategy to combat plastic pollution in line with sustainability principles and decarbonization necessities. Although chemically modified ternary and quaternary biocomposites are developing rapidly because of their broader processing and performance windows than single matrix and binary counterparts, a few have been reported about their biodegradation. Herein, diisocyanates-based chemically modified ternary biocomposites based on poly(butylene adipate-co-tere- phthalate), thermoplastic starch (TPS), poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), and cellulose (Mater-Bi/PCL/cellulose) are prepared and undergone soil burial biodegradation providing a broader perspective on biodegradation of complicated systems. The mass gain of sunflower sprouts, weight retention, and the appearance of biocomposites are studied and discussed in the course of biodegradation. The unfilled Mater-Bi/PCL bio-blends presented moderate mass loss over 12 weeks, attributed to the presence of TPS in the Mater-Bi phase. The PCL addition hindered TPS decomposition and featured a noticeably lower degradation rate compared to previous reports. A significant increase in the b* parameter (position on the blue-yellow axis in the CIELAB color space), along with the yellowness and whiteness indices, was observed. Prior to soil burial, roughness differences were negligible. Still, they significantly increased over time due to the higher hydrophilicity of unfilled Mater-Bi/PCL and biocomposite containing unmodified filler.

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) pose a great challenge for potato cultivation throughout the world. Being a rather difficult parasite due to a number of its physiological features, specifically a long-term viability of the eggs, PCN causes drastic damage to worldwide agriculture. Development of long-acting preparations deposited with nematicidal ingredients could be a novel prospective approach to PCNs management. In this study, composite granules based on polycaprolactone and montmorillonite (PCL/MMT) (100:0; 90:10; 75:25; 50:50) were studied as carriers for oxamyl nematicide. It was shown that the obtained granules are able to postpone the hydrolysis of oxamyl from 17 to 27 days and facilitate its gradual release. The maximum release of oxamyl in water was noted for PCL/MMT 50% granules and amounted to 70.3 mu g/ml on day 14. Meanwhile, oxamyl release in soil had relatively the same trend for all the granules with the most release in the first 20 days. Kinetic models demonstrated that for all PCL/MMT granules the release was due to diffusion mechanism. The nematicidal effect of PCL/MMT 50% granules with oxamyl against G. rostochiensis has been demonstrated on potato variety Krasnoyarskiy ranniy.

Conventional plastics derived from petroleum resources have dominated the packaging sector. However, the use of such plastics has resulted in environmental issues. Research on development of biodegradable plastics has gained momentum. In the present work, eco-sustainable poly (butylene adipate terephthalate) (PBAT)/poly lactic acid (PLA) blend films have been developed with beeswax as an additive. Films have been made by blending biopolymers PBAT with PLA. Beeswax, as an additive has the ability to enhance the water vapour and oxygen barrier properties films. Beeswax content has been varied in the films (0, 0.5, 1 and 2 wt.%). The prepared films have been characterized for their mechanical (tensile testing), water absorption, morphological and biodegradation behavior. Maximum tensile strength has been observed for film containing 1 wt.% of beeswax. Water absorption of the films has been lowered by addition of beeswax. Based on the obtained results, 1 wt.% of beeswax addition has been found to be suitable for PBAT/PLA blend films.