20.500.12556/DiRROS-22516 Investigating aquatic biodegradation and changes in the properties of pristine and UV-irradiated microplastics from conventional and biodegradable agricultural plastics There is an increasing tendency to replace conventional agricultural plastic mulching films with biodegradable alternatives. However, while the latter biodegrade well under controlled conditions (e.g. industrial compost), their biodegradation in non-target environments (e.g. aquatic environments) is questioned and poorly understood. Therefore, in this study, microplastics derived from conventional polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate starch blend (PBAT) mulching films were exposed to UV irradiation and subsequently tested for their ready biodegradability in an aqueous medium where changes in their characteristics were evaluated. The results showed limited biodegradation for pristine and UV-aged PE: no morphological, surface chemical or internal changes were observed. Pristine PBAT showed signs of initial biodegradation, while UV-aged PBAT biodegraded by up to 57%. New functional groups appeared on the PBAT surface after UV irradiation according to FTIR analysis and crystallinity increased after biodegradation. Elemental analysis revealed a range of metals in PE and PBAT microplastics. No changes in metal distribution analysed in microplastic after UV-aging or biodegradation were found, except that less titanium was present in PBAT after biodegradation indicating potential leaching. None of the PBAT microplastics had ecotoxic effects towards the aquatic plant Lemna minor. Pristine and UV-aged PE showed negative effects on roots, but these were not observed after biodegradation. Low biodegradation of pristine PBAT and possible leaching of metals demonstrated here raise questions about the sustainable use of biodegradable alternatives, especially when they enter non-target environments. microplastics biodegradable plastics aging biodegradation ecotoxicity leaching mikroplastika biorazgradljiva plastika staranje biorazgradnja ekotoksičnost izluževanje true false true Elsevier Applied Science Publishers Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik © 2025 The Authors Neznano 2025-05-27 10:13:27 2025-05-27 10:24:26 2025-10-24 03:51:27 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 Soavtorji: Aida Fazlić, Lukas Brunnbauer, Janja Novak, Anita Jemec Kokalj, Jernej Imperl, Jiří Kučerík, Petra Procházková, Stefania Federici, Rachel Hurley, Andrijana Sever Škapin, Pavlína Modlitbová, Pavel Pořízka, Jozef Kaiser, Andreas Limbeck, Gabriela Kalčíková; str. 1-10 Vol. 376, [article no.] 126408 1 Jul. 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2025-05-08 504.5:678 0269-7491 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126408 236760835 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026974912500781X 1 7a613d74-3ad2-11f0-963a-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=32550 RAZ_Putar_Ula_2025.pdf RAZ_Putar_Ula_2025.pdf 1 ABC8FB5622F2F3C314AA43E301EE8F86 207a74aebc1a163f0507f080ce40641ec895ce5b73cdc69f5aed36c2f57a8008 43d62bff-3ad3-11f0-963a-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=32551 RAZ_Putar_Ula_2025.pdf RAZ_Putar_Ula_2025.pdf 1 58747AB1F50ACAD5130B2C756B72F22A 7de907f834c20c136618e658805e90552c225e5715a460cfc83b17e01fdfe613 687d8f44-3ad3-11f0-963a-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=32552 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13884524 0 f752b6d6-3ad3-11f0-963a-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=32553 Zavod za gradbeništvo Slovenije 0 0 0