Not so biodegradable: Polylactic acid and cellulose/plastic blend textiles lack fast biodegradation in marine waters.

ABSTRACT: The resistance of plastic textiles to environmental degradation is of major concern as large portions of these materials reach the ocean. There, they persist for undefined amounts of time, possibly causing harm and toxicity to marine ecosystems. As a solution to this problem, many compostable and so-called biodegradable materials have been developed. However, to undergo rapid biodegradation, most compostable plastics require specific conditions that are achieved only in industrial settings. Thus, industrially compostable plastics might persist as pollutants under natural conditions. In this work, we tested the biodegradability in marine waters of textiles made of polylactic acid, a diffused industrially compostable plastic. The test was extended also to cellulose-based and conventional non

SUBMITTER: Royer SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10208507 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature