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 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.

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.

In light of the growing plastic waste problem worldwide, including in agriculture, this study focuses on the usefulness of both conventional, non-degradable plastics and environmentally friendly bioplastics in the agricultural sector. Although conventional plastic products are still essential in modern, even ecological agriculture, the increasing contamination by these materials, especially in a fragmented form, highlights the urgent need to search for alternative, easily biodegradable materials that could replace the non-degradable ones. According to the literature, polymers are widely used in agriculture for the preparation of agrochemicals (mostly fertilizers) with prolonged release. They also play a role as functional polymers against pests, serve as very useful super absorbents of water to improve crop health under drought conditions, and are commonly used as mulching films, membranes, mats, non-woven fabrics, protective nets, seed coatings, agrochemical packaging, or greenhouse coverings. This widespread application leads to the uncontrolled contamination of soil with disintegrated polymeric materials. Therefore, this study highlights the possible applications of bio-based materials as alternatives to conventional polyolefins or other environmentally persistent polymers. Bio-based polymers align with the strategy of innovative agricultural advancements, leading to more productive farming by reducing plastic contamination and adverse ecotoxicological impacts on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. On the other hand, advanced polymer membranes act as catching agents for agrochemicals, protecting against environmental intoxication. The global versatility of polymer applications in agriculture will not permit the elimination of already existing technologies involving polymers in the near future. However, in line with ecological trends in modern agriculture, more green polymers should be employed in this sector. Moreover, we highlight that more comprehensive legislative work on these aspects should be undertaken at the European Union level to guarantee environmental and climate protection. From the EU legislation point of view, the implementation of a unified, legally binding system on applications of bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics should be a priority to be addressed. In this respect, the EU already demonstrates an initial action plan. Unfortunately, these are still projected directions for future EU policy, which require in-depth analysis.

In this work, polylactide (PLA) was loaded with wood flour (WF) or hazelnut shells (HSs) (10% and 20% of fillers). The matrix and biocomposites were fully characterized from a mechanical and rheological point of view to test their processability and mechanical performance. Compost burial degradation test (30 days), with or without a prior photo-oxidation step, assessed their biodegradability after an outdoor application, and was monitored by weight loss (WL). The viscosity of the biocomposites was lower than that of the matrix and this unusual result can be attributed to a limited adhesion between the PLA and fillers. Both fillers increased the elastic modulus but decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break. As for the weathering, the degradation of PLA was mostly due to hydrolytic chain scission due to the presence of humidity. Resistance of PLA to UV irradiation improved in presence of both the two fillers. Their lignocellulosic nature was responsible for this behavior. Both fillers induced a high resistance and lower degradation in compost: WL percentages of virgin PLA was about 26%, biocomposites with 20% of WF or HS showed WL of about 10% and 14%, respectively. Photo-oxidation (36 h with condensation cycle) increased the compost degradation rate of both biocomposites and WL of PLA with 20% of WF or HS were about 15% and 21%, respectively, after 30 days.Highlights Poor adhesion between the matrix and fillers reduced the biocomposites viscosity. Fillers increased the elastic modulus but decreased the properties at break. Both fillers improved the resistance of PLA to UV irradiation. Biocomposites showed a lower susceptibility to compost degradation than PLA. Photo-oxidation increased the compost degradation rate of biocomposites. A biocomposites studying from the cradle to the grave. image

Melt blending is a reliable and well-demonstrated strategy for improving the mechanical, thermal, rheological, and surface properties of biopolymers. Poly(hydroxy-3-butyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) are the two popular choices for blending polymers due to their diverse properties and complementary soil biodegradable behaviour. Due to their immiscibility, however, blending with the help of processing additives is necessary to reap the most significant benefits from this process and to avoid immiscibility issues. This study utilized the additives (peroxides and epoxy-based chain extender) to compatibilize the biodegradable polymers PHBV and PBAT in a 60:40 blending ratio. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of the PHBV/PBAT(60/40) blend were improved by 32% and 64%, respectively, after adding a combination of peroxide (0.02 phr) and chain extender (0.3 phr) due to the formation of a complex network structure with increased chain length. The positive effect of an additive addition was also reflected by a 30 degrees C increment in heat deflection temperature of biodegradable blend due to its high modulus value as supported by mechanical properties. The combined action of a peroxide and chain extender demonstrated a significantly higher complex viscosity of the PHBV/PBAT(60/40) blend due to the formation of a crosslinked polymer network as analyzed by rheological analysis. Our research demonstrated the effect of additives and their combined impact on analytical properties of PHBV/PBAT(60/40) blend to guide future work in improving their candidature to serve as a drop-in solution in replacing non-biodegradable petro-based plastic products.

The escalating environmental crisis posed by single-use plastics underscores the urgent need for sustainable alternatives. This study provides an approach to introduce biodegradable polymer blends by blending synthetic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with natural polymers-corn starch (CS) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-to address this challenge. Through a comprehensive analysis, including of the structure, mechanical strength, water solubility, biodegradability, and thermal properties, we investigated the enhanced performance of PVA-CS and PVA-HPMC blends over conventional polymers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) findings of pure PVA and its blends were studied, and we found a complete homogeneity between the PVA and both types of natural polymers in the case of a high concentration of PVA, whereas at lower concentration of PVA, some granules of CS and HMPC appear in the SEM. Blending corn starch (CS) with PVA significantly boosts its biodegradability in soil environments, since adding starch of 50 w/w duplicates the rate of PVA biodegradation. Incorporating hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) with PVA not only improves water solubility but also enhances biodegradation rates, as the addition of HPMC increases the biodegradation of pure PVA from 10 to 100% and raises the water solubility from 80 to 100%, highlighting the significant acceleration of the biodegradation process and water solubility caused by HPMC addition, making these blends suitable for a wide range of applications, from packaging and agricultural films to biomedical engineering. The thermal properties of pure PVA and its blends with natural were studied using diffraction scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is found that the glass transition temperature (Tg) increases after adding natural polymers to PVA, referring to an improvement in the molecular weight and intermolecular interactions between blend molecules. Moreover, the amorphous structure of natural polymers makes the melting temperature (TM) lessen after adding natural polymer, so the blends require lower temperature to remelt and be recycled again. For the mechanical properties, both types of natural polymer decrease the tensile strength and elongation at break, which overall weakens the mechanical properties of PVA. Our findings offer a promising pathway for the development of environmentally friendly polymers that do not compromise on performance, marking a significant step forward in polymer science's contribution to sustainability. This work presents detailed experimental and theoretical insights into novel polymerization methods and the utilization of biological strategies for advanced material design.