Articles | Volume 20, issue 19
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4213-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-4213-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Soil-biodegradable plastic films do not decompose in a lake sediment over 9 months of incubation
Sigrid van Grinsven
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department Surface Waters – Research and Management, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Seestrasse 79, 6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
Carsten Schubert
Department Surface Waters – Research and Management, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Seestrasse 79, 6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16,
8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Cited
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Complex Degradation of PBAT and PLA in Estuarine and Coastal Waters T. Read et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00672
- A critical review of biodegradable plastic mulch films in agriculture: Definitions, scientific background and potential impacts C. Campanale et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117391
- Antimicrobial potato starch — based films incorporating lactic acid V. Putilov et al. https://doi.org/10.21323/2618-9771-2025-8-4-498-505
- Soil fungi respond more violently to both polyethylene and PBAT biodegradable mulch film residues than bacteria do L. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1533441
- Do biodegradable plastic residues pose lower ecological risks to crops than conventional plastic residues? A meta-analytic comparison F. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140732
- Effects of microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in coastal wetlands: A critical meta-analysis F. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.125763
- Biodegradable mulch films affecting surface runoff, soil erosion, and film fragment loss from farmland A. Cugler Moreira et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2026.107537
- Biodegradable microplastics aggravate greenhouse gas emissions from urban lake sediments more severely than conventional microplastics Y. He et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.122334
- Tuning the biodegradation rate of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by incorporating acidified or oxidized biochar D. Šašinková et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.148088
- Rethinking plastic as a habitat modifier and a transport vector for organisms in aquatic environments G. Binda et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70071
- Aerobic microbial degradation of PLA, PHB, and PBAT microplastics in freshwater: Different structural changes and byproduct formation N. Payanthoth et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2026.121387
- A review on the occurrence, detection methods, and ecotoxicity of biodegradable microplastics in the aquatic environment: New cause for concern C. Shi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2024.117832
- Investigating aquatic biodegradation and changes in the properties of pristine and UV-irradiated microplastics from conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastics U. Putar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126408
- Ecotoxicological insights into biodegradable and compostable plastic bags in freshwater systems: hidden environmental risks of a green alternative S. Blanco et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-025-06044-4
- Differential effects of sulfide-induced transformation of biodegradable and conventional microplastics on sedimentary CO2 and CH4 emissions: Underlying microbiome-mediated mechanisms J. Hu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.124216
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Complex Degradation of PBAT and PLA in Estuarine and Coastal Waters T. Read et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.6c00672
- A critical review of biodegradable plastic mulch films in agriculture: Definitions, scientific background and potential impacts C. Campanale et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2023.117391
- Antimicrobial potato starch — based films incorporating lactic acid V. Putilov et al. https://doi.org/10.21323/2618-9771-2025-8-4-498-505
- Soil fungi respond more violently to both polyethylene and PBAT biodegradable mulch film residues than bacteria do L. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1533441
- Do biodegradable plastic residues pose lower ecological risks to crops than conventional plastic residues? A meta-analytic comparison F. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140732
- Effects of microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in coastal wetlands: A critical meta-analysis F. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.125763
- Biodegradable mulch films affecting surface runoff, soil erosion, and film fragment loss from farmland A. Cugler Moreira et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2026.107537
- Biodegradable microplastics aggravate greenhouse gas emissions from urban lake sediments more severely than conventional microplastics Y. He et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.122334
- Tuning the biodegradation rate of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by incorporating acidified or oxidized biochar D. Šašinková et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.148088
- Rethinking plastic as a habitat modifier and a transport vector for organisms in aquatic environments G. Binda et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70071
- Aerobic microbial degradation of PLA, PHB, and PBAT microplastics in freshwater: Different structural changes and byproduct formation N. Payanthoth et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2026.121387
- A review on the occurrence, detection methods, and ecotoxicity of biodegradable microplastics in the aquatic environment: New cause for concern C. Shi et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2024.117832
- Investigating aquatic biodegradation and changes in the properties of pristine and UV-irradiated microplastics from conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastics U. Putar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126408
- Ecotoxicological insights into biodegradable and compostable plastic bags in freshwater systems: hidden environmental risks of a green alternative S. Blanco et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-025-06044-4
- Differential effects of sulfide-induced transformation of biodegradable and conventional microplastics on sedimentary CO2 and CH4 emissions: Underlying microbiome-mediated mechanisms J. Hu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.124216
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 14 Nov 2026
Editorial statement
The findings of this study are interesting to a broader audience as it demonstrates that supposedly biodegradable mulch films used for agricultural purposes remain unchanged in lake sediments over several months. The results indicate that lake sediments are a place of long-term storage rather than a place of degradation for this form of plastic.
The findings of this study are interesting to a broader audience as it demonstrates that...
Short summary
Agriculture relies heavily on plastic mulch films, which may be transported to aquatic environments. We investigated the breakdown of soil-biodegradable agricultural mulch films in lake sediments. After 40 weeks, films were intact, and no significant CO2 or CH4 was produced from the biodegradable mulch films. We conclude that the mulch films we used have a low biodegradability in lake sediments. The sediment lacks the microbes needed to break down the biodegradable plastics that were used here.
Agriculture relies heavily on plastic mulch films, which may be transported to aquatic...
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