Review
Engineering, Environmental
Vishal Goel, Priyanka Luthra, Gurpreet S. Kapur, S. S. V. Ramakumar
Summary: The global plastics production has soared to a massive quantity, exacerbating the issue of waste plastics. Bioplastics are gaining attention as an alternative, but confusion surrounding terminology in the market is clouding perceptions of their authenticity. Greenwashing is on the rise, highlighting the need for increased transparency and reliability in information dissemination.
JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhibei Cao, Wenlong Yan, Mingzhu Ding, Yingjin Yuan
Summary: This review discusses the strategies and recent advances in using microbial consortia to degrade complex compounds, including plastics, petroleum, antibiotics, azo dyes, and pollutants in sewage. It is shown that microbial consortia have advantages over isolated bacteria as they are more adaptable and stable, and can provide a suitable catalytic environment for each enzyme. The development of synthetic biology and gene-editing tools allows the design of artificial microbial consortia systems that are more efficient, stable, and robust.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Polymer Science
Siti Baidurah
Summary: This article introduces the definition and examples of biodegradable polymers, as well as the recent developments in analytical methods. Special focus is given to chromatographic methods as the routine method of polymer analysis.
Article
Polymer Science
Yethadka Narahari Sudhakar, Muthu Selvakumar, Denthaje Krishna Bhat
Summary: This paper investigates the biodegradation of polymer blends composed of synthetic polymers and biopolymers. Four different methods are used to study the degradation performance, and the results show that the addition of biodegradable cellulose acetate butyrate effectively promotes the degradation of synthetic polymers without significant compromise on their properties.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katharina A. Fransen, Sarah H. M. Av-Ron, Tess R. Buchanan, Dylan J. Walsh, Dechen T. Rota, Lana Van Note, Bradley D. Olsen
Summary: The development of biodegradable plastics has been driven by the increasing plastic pollution. However, limited research on polymer biodegradation has hindered innovation due to costly and slow measurement methods. To tackle this issue, a high-throughput polymer synthesis and biodegradation method were utilized to generate a dataset for 642 chemically distinct polyesters and polycarbonates. The results showed that biodegradability depended on the length of the aliphatic repeat unit, with shorter chains and side chains improving biodegradability. Aromatic backbone groups generally hindered biodegradability, but ortho- and para-substituted benzene rings were more degradable than meta-substituted rings. In addition, ether groups in the backbone improved biodegradability.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Samaneh Bandehali, Hamidreza Sanaeepur, Abtin Ebadi Amooghin, Saeed Shirazian, Seeram Ramakrishna
Summary: This review emphasizes the importance of utilizing bio-based and petroleum-based biodegradable polymers in developing modern membrane separation technology, including different synthesis, preparation methods, and modifications. State-of-the-art membranes are prepared through various strategies such as blending, copolymerization, cross-linking, and composites with nanoparticles for advanced performance.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tobias P. Haider, Oksana Suraeva, Ingo Lieberwirth, Piotr Paneth, Frederik R. Wurm
Summary: By mimicking the intra-molecular transesterification mechanism inspired by RNA, degradable PE-like polyphosphoesters with accelerated degradation rates were successfully synthesized. Degradation studies in aqueous solutions revealed the polymer's performance under different pH conditions, demonstrating its potential in accelerating polymer hydrolysis in natural environments such as seawater.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marcel Eck, Simon Timm Schwab, Taylor Frederick Nelson, Katrin Wurst, Steffen Iberl, David Schleheck, Christoph Link, Glauco Battagliarin, Stefan Mecking
Summary: We have developed a new polyester material using biobased 1,18-octadecanedicarboxylic acid and ethylene glycol, which has a solid-state structure similar to polyethylene and comparable tensile properties to high density polyethylene (HDPE). Despite its crystallinity, high melting point and hydrophobic nature, the polyester-2,18 can be rapidly and completely hydrolytically degraded in vitro by naturally occurring enzymes. It also shows high biodegradability under industrial composting conditions and can be depolymerized by methanolysis for closed-loop recycling.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Tatjana Glaskova-Kuzmina, Olesja Starkova, Sergejs Gaidukovs, Oskars Platnieks, Gerda Gaidukova
Summary: Biodegradable polymers (BP) are considered the materials of the future, with excellent properties comparable to commodity plastics. The lack of data on the durability of biodegradable polymer nanocomposites (BPN) has prompted a review summarizing recent literature data on environmental aging of BPN. Incorporating nanofillers into BP can improve durability, but poor dispersion may lead to faster degradation. Selected models describing the durability performance of BPN can be used to design materials with tailored degradation properties and durability.
Article
Polymer Science
Maria Fogasova, Silvestr Figalla, Lucia Danisova, Elena Medlenova, Slavka Hlavacikova, Zuzana Vanovcanova, Leona Omanikova, Andrej Baco, Vojtech Horvath, Maria Mikolajova, Jozef Feranc, Jan Bockaj, Roderik Plavec, Pavol Alexy, Martina Repiska, Radek Prikryl, Sona Kontarova, Anna Barekova, Martina Slavikova, Marek Koutny, Ahmad Fayyazbakhsh, Marketa Kadleckova
Summary: In order to make bioplastics more widely applicable, ready-to-use plastic material formulations with tailored properties should be available, ideally being home-compostable. This article presents materials based on PLA and PHB blends, which are intended for various applications and are fully biodegradable.
Article
Polymer Science
Vesna Ocelic Bulatovic, Dajana Kucic Grgic, Vilko Mandic, Martina Miloloza, Jiri Dybal, Veronika Gajdosova, Miroslav Slouf
Summary: Plastic waste is a symbolic expression of environmental pollution, and developing biodegradable plastics is a pragmatic approach to mitigate environmental problems. Starch, as a fully biodegradable polymer, is difficult to process. This study aims to prepare sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging materials based on biodegradable blends, and concludes that modifiers play a crucial role in obtaining homogeneous polymer blends.
Article
Polymer Science
F. Carfi Pavia, V. Brucato, M. C. Mistretta, L. Botta, F. P. La Mantia
Summary: By using biodegradable polymers instead of fossil-derived polymers in certain applications, the release of carbon dioxide into the environment can be greatly reduced. In this study, prototypes of aquaculture trays were produced using the biodegradable polymer Mater-Bi-(R) through injection molding. Characterization tests revealed that the polymer used has suitable properties for producing tools for aquaculture applications. Additionally, the samples underwent a biodegradation test in conditions that simulate the marine environment, showing a relatively low degradation rate for the thick molded samples.
Article
Polymer Science
Elena Trofimchuk, Valeria Ostrikova, Olga Ivanova, Marina Moskvina, Anna Plutalova, Tatyana Grokhovskaya, Anna Shchelushkina, Alexander Efimov, Elena Chernikova, Shenghua Zhang, Vladimir Mironov
Summary: The degradation of polylactide (PLA) films of different structures under conditions of controlled composting has been studied. The researchers demonstrated that PLA can undergo degradation within one month in a substrate that simulates standard industrial composting. Regardless of the initial structure of the samples, the number-average molecular weight (Mn) decreased to 4 kDa while the degree of crystallinity increased to about 70% after 21 days of composting. Addition of an inoculant to the standard substrate resulted in accelerated degradation of the PLA samples for one week due to abiotic hydrolysis. These findings confirm that industrial composting can potentially address the issue of PLA plastic disposal.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Qiqi Lei, Jianfeng Zhong, Shao-Fang Chen, Siyi Wu, Yaohua Huang, Peng Guo, Sandhya Mishra, Kalpana Bhatt, Shaohua Chen
Summary: Sulfonylurea herbicides are widely used in modern agriculture but have adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. Effective techniques, including biodegradation, have been explored to remove sulfonylurea residues from the environment. Microbial strains such as Talaromyces flavus LZM1 and Bacillus subtilis LXL-7 show high degradation capabilities. The molecular mechanisms of microbial degradation are not well studied, but enzymes such as hydrolase, oxidase, dehydrogenase, and esterase play important roles. This article provides a comprehensive discussion on the strains, pathways, and mechanisms of sulfonylurea biodegradation, as well as their toxic effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals, aiming to offer new ideas for remediation of sulfonylurea herbicide-polluted soil and sediments.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Xiaomeng Chen, Wanting Cheng, Shenzhou Li, Xiaofei Tang, Zimin Wei
Summary: The richness and evenness of microbial community were found to be the primary driving factors of cellulose degradation, with richness symbolizing microbial functionality (quality) and evenness symbolizing the scope of function (quantity). This indicates that both the quality and quantity of microbial species play a significant role in driving cellulose degradation during composting.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Toshimi Nakajima, Mao Kuragano, Makoto Yamada, Ryo Sugimoto
Summary: This study compared the contribution of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) to river nutrient budgets at nearshore and embayment scales, and found that SGD-derived nutrients become more important at larger spatial scales.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Liu, Lei Zhang, Chongyang Zhang, Ziguang Chen, Jingguang Li
Summary: NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves used for household heating have become a significant source of indoor pollution in Chinese urban areas. The high indoor concentration of NO2 poses potential health risks to residents. It is urgently necessary to establish relevant regulations and implement emission reduction technologies to reduce NO2 emissions from wall-mounted gas stoves.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Letter
Environmental Sciences
Hans Peter H. Arp, Raoul Wolf, Sarah E. Hale, Sivani Baskaran, Juliane Gluege, Martin Scheringer, Xenia Trier, Ian T. Cousins, Harrie Timmer, Roberta Hofman-Caris, Anna Lennquist, Andre D. Bannink, Gerard J. Stroomberg, Rosa M. A. Sjerps, Rosa Montes, Rosario Rodil, Jose Benito Quintana, Daniel Zahn, Herve Gallard, Tobias Mohr, Ivo Schliebner, Michael Neumann
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philomina Onyedikachi Peter, Binessi Edouard Ifon, Francois Nkinahamira, Kayode Hassan Lasisi, Jiangwei Li, Anyi Hu, Chang-Ping Yu
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in sediments from Yundang Lagoon, China. The results show four distinct fluorescent components, with protein-like substances being the most prevalent. Additionally, the total fluorescence intensity and LREE concentrations exhibit a synchronized increase from Outer to Inner to Songbai Lake core sediments. The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between DOM content and pollution levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Surya Gupta, Pasquale Borrelli, Panos Panagos, Christine Alewell
Summary: The objective of this study is to incorporate soil hydraulic properties into the erodibility factor (K) of USLE-type models. By modifying and improving the existing equations for soil texture and permeability, the study successfully included information on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) into the calculation of K factor. Using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm, two independent K factor maps with different spatial resolutions were generated. The results show that the decrease in K factor values has a positive impact on the modeling of soil erosion rates.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jesmin Akter, Wendy J. M. Smith, Yawen Liu, Ilho Kim, Stuart L. Simpson, Phong Thai, Asja Korajkic, Warish Ahmed
Summary: The choice of workflow in wastewater surveillance has a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 concentrations, while having minimal effects on HF183 and no effect on HAdV 40/41 concentrations. Certain components in the workflow can be interchangeable, but factors such as buffer type, chloroform, and homogenization speed can affect the recovery of viruses and bacteria.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Luo, Xueting Yang, Diwei Wang, Hongmei Xu, Hongai Zhang, Shasha Huang, Qiyuan Wang, Ningning Zhang, Junji Cao, Zhenxing Shen
Summary: Atmospheric PM2.5, which can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), is associated with cardiorespiratory morbidity and mortality. The study found that both the mass concentration of PM2.5 and the DTT activity were higher during the heating season than during the nonheating season. Combustion sources were the primary contributors to DTT activity during the heating season, while secondary formation dominated during the nonheating season. The study also revealed that biomass burning had the highest inherent oxidation potential among all sources investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kenji Maurice, Amelia Bourceret, Sami Youssef, Stephane Boivin, Liam Laurent-Webb, Coraline Damasio, Hassan Boukcim, Marc-Andre Selosse, Marc Ducousso
Summary: Growing pressure from climate change and agricultural land use is destabilizing soil microbial community interactions. Little is known about microbial community resistance and adaptation to disturbances, hindering our understanding of recovery latency and implications for ecosystem functioning. This study found that anthropic disturbance and natural disturbance have different effects on the topology and stability of soil microbial networks.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunhao Li, Yali Feng, Haoran Li, Yisong Yao, Chenglong Xu, Jinrong Ju, Ruiyu Ma, Haoyu Wang, Shiwei Jiang
Summary: Deep-sea mining poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems and human health by disturbing sediment and transmitting metal ions through the food chain. This study developed a new regenerative adsorption material, OMN@SA, which effectively removes metal ions. The adsorption mechanism and performance of the material for metal ion fixation were investigated.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Antonio Medici, Margherita Lavorgna, Marina Isidori, Chiara Russo, Elena Orlo, Giovanni Luongo, Giovanni Di Fabio, Armando Zarrelli
Summary: Valsartan, a widely used antihypertensive drug, has been detected in high concentrations in surface waters due to its unchanged excretion and incomplete degradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study investigated the degradation of valsartan and identified 14 degradation byproducts. The acute and chronic toxicity of these byproducts were evaluated in key organisms in the freshwater trophic chain.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiang Lin, Lianbao Chi, Qing Yuan, Busu Li, Mingbao Feng
Summary: This study investigated the photodegradation behavior and product formation of two representative pharmaceuticals in simulated estuary water. The study found that the formed transformation products of these pharmaceuticals have potential toxicity on marine organisms, including oxidative stress and damage to cellular components.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hua Fang, Dongdong Jiang, Ye He, Siyi Wu, Yuehong Li, Ziqi Zhang, Haoting Chen, Zixin Zheng, Yan Sun, Wenxiang Wang
Summary: This study revealed that exposure to lower levels of air pollutants led to decreased pregnancy rates, with PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO emerging as the four most prominent pollutants. Individuals aged 35 and above exhibited heightened susceptibility to pollutants.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ali Shaan Manzoor Ghumman, Rashid Shamsuddin, Amin Abbasi, Mohaira Ahmad, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Abdul Sami, Hamad Almohamadi
Summary: In this study, inverse vulcanized polysulfides (IVP) were synthesized by reacting molten sulfur with 4-vinyl benzyl chloride, and then functionalized using N-methyl D-glucamine (NMDG). The functionalized IVP showed a high mercury adsorption capacity and a machine learning model was developed to predict the amount of mercury removed. Furthermore, the functionalized IVP can be regenerated and reused, providing a sustainable and cost-effective adsorbent.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rita Bonfiglio, Renata Sisto, Stefano Casciardi, Valeria Palumbo, Maria Paola Scioli, Erica Giacobbi, Francesca Servadei, Gerry Melino, Alessandro Mauriello, Manuel Scimeca
Summary: This study investigated the presence of aluminum in human colon cancer samples and its potential association with biological processes involved in cancer progression. Aluminum was found in tumor areas of 24% of patients and was associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell death. Additional analyses revealed higher tumor mutational burden and mutations in genes related to EMT and apoptosis in aluminum-positive colon cancers. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of aluminum toxicity may improve strategies for the management of colon cancer patients.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)