A review on the occurrence and influence of biodegradable microplastics in soil ecosystems: Are biodegradable plastics substitute or threat?

Plastic products are widely used around the world, but waste plastic is not reasonably managed and causes serious plastic pollution. Biodegradable plastics (BPs) provide an alternative to conventional plastics, but not all BPs can be completely degraded under natural conditions. Instead, they may break down into microplastics (MPs) faster than conventional plastics, posing an additional threat to soil environment. In this paper, the definition, applications, and degradation behaviors of BPs, including biodegradable microplastics (BMPs), are reviewed, and we comprehensively summarized the eco-toxicological effects of BMPs in soil ecosystems, in terms of physical and chemical properties of soil, soil nutrient…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 41977030
• CR
  Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences

  Award: 2020YFC1909502
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China