Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 811213, Taiwan.
Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 811213, Taiwan.
Environ Monit Assess. 2024 May 17;196(6):554. doi: 10.1007/s10661-024-12721-z.
This comprehensive review delves into the complex issue of plastic pollution, focusing on the emergence of biodegradable plastics (BDPs) as a potential alternative to traditional plastics. While BDPs seem promising, recent findings reveal that a large number of BDPs do not fully degrade in certain natural conditions, and they often break down into microplastics (MPs) even faster than conventional plastics. Surprisingly, research suggests that biodegradable microplastics (BDMPs) could have more significant and long-lasting effects than petroleum-based MPs in certain environments. Thus, it is crucial to carefully assess the ecological consequences of BDPs before widely adopting them commercially. This review thoroughly examines the formation of MPs from prominent BDPs, their impacts on the environment, and adsorption capacities. Additionally, it explores how BDMPs affect different species, such as plants and animals within a particular ecosystem. Overall, these discussions highlight potential ecological threats posed by BDMPs and emphasize the need for further scientific investigation before considering BDPs as a perfect solution to plastic pollution.
这篇全面的综述深入探讨了塑料污染这一复杂问题，重点关注了可生物降解塑料 (BDP) 作为传统塑料的潜在替代品的出现。虽然 BDP 似乎很有前景，但最近的研究发现，大量的 BDP 在某些自然条件下并不能完全降解，而且它们往往比传统塑料更快地分解为微塑料 (MP)。令人惊讶的是，研究表明，在某些环境中，可生物降解的微塑料 (BDMP) 可能比基于石油的 MPs 产生更显著和更持久的影响。因此，在商业上广泛采用 BDP 之前，仔细评估其生态后果至关重要。本综述深入研究了主要 BDP 形成 MPs 的过程、它们对环境的影响以及吸附能力。此外，还探讨了 BDMPs 如何影响特定生态系统中的不同物种，如植物和动物。总的来说，这些讨论强调了 BDMPs 带来的潜在生态威胁，并强调在考虑 BDP 作为解决塑料污染的完美解决方案之前，需要进行进一步的科学研究。
