Submitted by:

M. Horairah
Submitted to:
Dr .Aqsa kanwal
Roll No:
10
DATE:
24-04-2024
COURSE CODE:
SES-417
COURSE TITLE:
RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC WRITING
TOPIC:
Biodegradable Polymers and their role in mitigating soil pollution
 Table of Contents:

● Abstract-------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
● Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------7
● Main Body-----------------------------------------------------------------29
•Material-------------------------------------------------------------------30
•Recycling-----------------------------------------------------------------33
•Biodegradable-----------------------------------------------------------36
•Perspectives and applications of biopolymers------------------------40
•Sustainable design for product development-------------------------43
•FTIR analysis------------------------------------------------------------45
● Conclusion----------------------------------------------------------------50
● References----------------------------------------------------------------54
Abstract:
Biodegradable polymer (BDP) composites with beneficial nutrient release and water
retention properties have attracted widespread attention in agriculture, but the impact of
heavy metals (HMs) in soil on their degradation and product release has not been reported. A
tomato pot was constructed to study slow release (i.e., PSRF) prepared from potassium
dihydrogen phosphate and urea formaldehyde (PSRF), simple physical mixture of PSRF and
PSRF, or semi-interpenetrated polymer network (semi-IPN) nanometers. Degradation and
nutrient release properties of composites. The results show that the combination of HMs and
three-dimensionally cross-linked hydrophilic SAPs can reduce the inhibition of HMs on the
biodegradability and nutrient release of BDPs, and the molecular segment scale mixed in
semi-interpenetrating network composites is greater than that of semi-IPN. He showed that he
was good. The reduction is less in composites used alone. At the same time, the greater the
number and activity of functional groups in SAP, the more significant the adsorption and
immobilization of HMs, and the smaller the inhibition of HMs degradation. This concept is
suitable for the production of BDP-based mixtures that can be used for the simultaneous
application of water and fertilizer in contaminated soils.
Introduction
Heavy metals (HM) such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium
(Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) are caused by anthropogenic factors
(Bolan and al., 2014; Owsianiak et al., 2015) or due to geological activities (Hu et al., 2018),
which may cause conditions that are not good for human health and ecosystem operation. In
fact, soils contaminated with heavy metals exist in many parts of the world and pose a threat
to ecosystems and human health (Borggaard et al., 2019). Organisms such as bacteria, fungi
and algae ( Briassoulis and Dejean, 2010 ; Krzan et al., 2006 ). Due to their environmental
friendliness, BDPs are popular worldwide, including for their potential in agricultural slow-
release fertilizers. Natural BDPs such as cellulose (Costa et al., 2013; Ni et al., 2009) and
starch (Qiao et al., 2016), as well as synthetic BDPs such as polyvinyl alcohol (Chen et al.,
2018) and polyester fibers (Lubkowski and al., 2015) have been used as degradable materials
or composting media for slow-release fertilizers (Pereira et al., 2015). Some BDPs also have
the function of absorbing and storing water to combine water and fertilizer, which is
important to inhibit plant growth ( Ni et al., 2009 ; Qiao et al., 2016 ). Recent studies have
shown that water-storing and slow-release BDP-based fertilizers can control soil moisture,
improve fertilizer utilization, and reduce environmental pollution caused by fertilizer declines
to some extent ( Wang et al., 2012 ; Wen et al., 2012 ). In recent years, research on
superabsorbent polymers (SAP) as water storage materials in agriculture has attracted great
attention (Là et al., 2016). With the development of polymer hydrogel technology,
biodegradable and environmentally friendly polysaccharides such as starch ( Jin et al., 2013 ),
cellulose ( Gao et al., 2018 ), and chitosan ( Feng et al., 2017 ) are introduced into SAP.
Improve the problems of poor biodegradability, high production costs and low salt quality.
Lee et al. (2015) prepared a rice straw cellulose-based slow-release fertilizer with a semi-
interpenetrated network (semi-IPN) structure. Xie et al. (2012) used rice straw as raw
material to prepare double-coated slow-release fertilizer and found that it was effective in
slow release of nutrients in the soil and preventing degradation in soil solution. They are
highly sensitive to soil pollution (Tang et al., 2019). As a stressor, HMs are highly toxic to
organisms and can persist in soil for many years ( Guo et al., 2017 ; Xu et al., 2019 ).
Therefore, the degradation behavior and mechanism of BDPs in HM-contaminated soil
should be affected, but there is still no significant research data. Microbial degradation slows
nitrogen release in soil (Xiang et al., 2017; Zhao et al., 2019). To solve the problem of low
nitrogen release rate due to high crystallinity in the actual use of ultrafiltration, the research
team introduced potassium dihydrogen phosphate (MKP), one of the most widely used
phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, into ultrafiltration to prepare a phosphorus and
potassium fertilizer. Fertilizer. Biodegradable polymer nanocomposites. -PSRF/SAPWS and
SI-PSRF/SAPHEC inoculate rice straw (WS) or hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) with
poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide), WS-g-P(AA-co-AM) or HEC, respectively -g-P ( AA-co-
AM). It is not difficult to see that PSRF is an improved ultrafiltration fertilizer (Xiang et al.,
2017), and previous studies (Song et al., 2019; Zhao et al., 2019) show that the fertilizer
degrades like ultrafiltration. PSRF is mainly due to the rapid cleavage of the active amide
bond in the main chain of the UF molecule. P(AA-co-AM) is one of the most water absorbing
and water retaining materials in the world. P(AA-co-AM), a three-dimensional cross-linked
hydrophilic polymer, has many carboxyl, hydroxyl and other functional groups in its
macromolecular chain. Therefore, P(AA-co-AM) can voluntarily exchange or exchange with
HMs. In contaminated soil or directly adsorb them ( Feng et al., 2020 ; Meng et al., 2018 ).
SAPWS and SAPHEC obtained by P(AA-co-AM) substitution reaction have more functional
groups and can interact with HM ions. However, the number and function of functional
groups in WS and HEC are different; this leads to differences in water absorption and
degradation between SAPWS and SAPHEC and their semi-IPN composites SI
-PSRF/SAPWS and SI-PSRF/SAPHEC. Therefore, this research group uses tomatoes, whose
benefits and quality are well understood in the use of food products during their growth, to
compare the biodegradability and nutrient release output characteristics from pot experiments
and their effects on soil fertility and plant growth bioavailability. The combination of simple
physical (PSRF + SAPWS and PSRF + SAPHEC) simulates copper, zinc, cadmium and lead,
which are the main types of heavy metals in China’s polluted soils and unregulated soils. This
study helps understand the impact of HMs in contaminated soil on the performance of BDPs
and SAPs, as well as the effectiveness of using slow-release fertilizers as BDPs for in situ
treatment of soil..
Section snippets
What is biodegradable plastic?
Microorganisms use the carbon matrix in plastic polymers for energy and carbon
assimilation. This process can occur in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, but the aerobic
process is much more energy-boosting. The rate of biodegradation can be measured by
measuring the amount of CO released over time in laboratory samples, 15,16). These
polymers, together with other biodegradable polymers such as cellulose or starch, create
products from biodegradable plastics. Biodegradable plastics may contain additives and
modifiers such as pigments (such as carbon black, TiO2), put (such as carbonates) and
plasticizers. Microbial colonization of the plastic surface consists of sequential steps starting
with depolymerization by extracellular enzymes, uptake of polymer particles by microbial
cells, and finally mineralization by respiration 18,19 ). Most plastics are exposed to abiotic
weathering (ultraviolet light, mechanical stress from wind, hydrolysis, and oxidation due to
exposure to water) before they biodegrade. This abiotic process, together with the first step in
biodegradation, causes biodegradable plastics to break down (i.e. deteriorate) and forms
reactive chemical surface groups [20] that promote subsequent biodegradation.
Uses and Benefits of Biodegradable Plastics:
In this section we discuss two specific applications: (1) packaging and waste materials
and (2) agricultural products. These are the two areas where we believe biodegradable
plastics have the greatest potential. This category is followed by white goods and home
appliances, followed by packaging. Packaging accounts for 40% of plastic produced in
Europe
Followed by consumer and household products (22%) and construction (20%) [21]. However,
packaging creates a disproportionate amount of waste (61% of plastic waste generated in
Europe in 2018 came from packaging [22]), because most plastic packaging is short-lived and
disposable. Therefore, limiting plastic waste from packaging will have a huge impact on
plastic pollution in the world. This new application as a circular economy model was
proposed and implemented by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation [23.24]. The vision of the
model is that plastic will not go to waste and follows these basic principles: (1) Eliminate
unnecessary plastic packaging, (2) Recycle where possible, (3) Make packaging 100%
reusable and recyclable or recyclable, (4) ) plastic is made from renewable materials and (5)
plastic packaging does not contain hazardous substances 23 Bio-based and biodegradable
plastics are part of the circular economy. Or replace it with something else that isn’t plastic,
like cellulose, but in most cases it should be plastic. Plastic in food packaging is particularly
difficult to replace due to specific rules to protect food quality and safety. Since food
packaging is often contaminated with waste, recycling is the last option in life. It is estimated
that 40% of food packaging ends up in landfills [25]. Research shows that biodegradable
plastics can often play the role of food packaging in the same way as plastic26), so the use of
biodegradable plastics has great potential [25]. > The use of biodegradable plastic in single-
use packaging is also good for circular economy models. Products used by many singers,
such as straws, toothpicks, straws and shopping bags, have recently been legalized in many
countries.
The use of biodegradable plastic in single-use packaging also fits well with the
circular economy model. Many single-use plastic products, such as straws, toothpicks, cotton
buds and shopping bags, have recently been banned by law in various jurisdictions.
Glossary and therefore being phased out or not -Replaced by plastic products . However, not
all plastic items can be replaced with non-plastic items (such as cutlery, gloves), and
biodegradable plastics can play an important role here. Plastic mulch is an important part of
agriculture, especially vegetables and fruits. Plastic mulch helps control plants, control
moisture and maintain good soil temperature and microclimate. Therefore, efficiency
increases and water is saved; the latter is particularly important in semiarid regions [27].
Agricultural plastic film is made of polyethylene, which is not biodegradable and must be
removed after harvest. However, polyethylene covers become brittle due to weather
conditions and debris. Film residues in the field cause plastic pollution of soil, especially in
China ( 28.29 ), where the film is thin (<10 µm) and often difficult to remove from the field.
Biodegradable Plastics provide a better alternative to polyethylene mulches [30]
Biodegradable plastic mulches are designed to be plowed into the soil after harvest or use,
eliminating the need for expensive removal and disposal, and are comparable to traditional
polyethylene mulches. Biodegradable plastic mulch shows equal agricultural performance.
However, widespread use of biodegradable plastic mulches is hindered by higher costs
compared to polyethylene mulches and farmers’ perception of uncertainty about agricultural
performance and light soil degradation issues [32]. > Although plastic use in agriculture is
small compared to total plastic use (only 3% of plastic is used in agriculture in Europe) (12),
agricultural mulches are applied directly to the soil and the soil spreads easily. Therefore,
biodegradable plastics that dissolve in soil will be promising and stable.Agricultural
polyethylene mulch will be an alternative.
End of Life Options:
Biodegradable plastics are designed to be used and degraded in compost or soil at the
end of their life. Anaerobic digestion is also an end-of-life option. Compost, anaerobic
digester, and soil environments are very different in terms of temperature and microbial
community. Some biodegradable plastics break down well in compost but do not break down
well in soil, and vice versa. Also, the environment is different from composts and more than
soil. It is therefore important to always consider end-of-life scenarios for biodegradable
plastics [18.33]. Standard methods have been developed to test aerobic biodegradation in
commercial composts34–36. These arrangements allow reproducing plastic biodegradation
by measuring carbon dioxide release in a temperature-controlled closed room. The
biodegradability criterion for plastics in industrial compost is >90% of the polymer carbon
converted to CO2 in 180 days (at 58 ± 2°C), but this is based on all polymer carbon or
chemical control [34] >90% of the model rather than 100% It was chosen because some
carbon (37) can be incorporated into the microbial biomass during the biodegradation process
and some CO can be converted to carbonic acid. The test model also requires the plastic to be
broken down to less than 10% of the dry weight of the plastic on 2 mm screen 34 after 84
days of composting.
Although the farm has a suitable structure and is well managed, composting
conditions are very different and often temperatures as high as the composting materials
cannot be achieved. Therefore, home compost biodegrades more slowly and is less effective
than artificial compost. Standards exist for labeling certain biodegradable plastic products,
such as shopping bags, to demonstrate biodegradability for home composting (38,39).
European standard PREN17427 [39] states that in laboratory samples more than 90% of the
carbon polymer is converted to CO2 in less than 2 years at 28°C. There is an ongoing debate
as to whether biodegradation standards [34,39] are sufficient to ensure successful
biodegradation of plastics in complete commercial or home composting [40,41]. Although
some consider this standard suitable for establishing composting [40], compostable plastics
certified by the standard will not biodegrade in household or agricultural composts due to
poor control due to temperature and ventilation42,43). More guidance is needed on mixing
techniques and testing methods for home use [44].
Of course, finished compost is an important soil amendment that provides nutrients
and/or products to the soil. Biodegradable mulches themselves do not lead to composting
other than the carbon in the polymer, which must be considered for the best carbon/nitrogen
ratio needed to create compost, but it is the non-biodegradable material that remains in the
compost.
Anaerobic Digestion:
Anaerobic digestion is an alternative to composting as an end-of-life option for
biodegradable plastics 45.46]. As an added benefit, anaerobic digestion of biodegradable
plastics produces energy in the form of biogas 17 and produces lower greenhouse gas
emissions than composting or incineration [45]). Anaerobic digestion is also an important
alternative to compost.
For less controlled biodegradable plastics, such as composting families that do not
compost well or whose composting conditions are not sufficient. For biodegradable plastics
to be completely biodegradable (48). Additionally, anaerobic digestion can be combined with
composting to combine the benefits of anaerobic and aerobic biodegradation [49]. Show the
amount of CO2 and CH according to laboratory control. Specific guidelines have been
developed to evaluate biodegradation under anaerobic digestion.
[36,49.51], but the question remains how the conditions specified in specific guidelines will
satisfy the system for conditions in commercial anaerobic digesters[46]. Therefore, it is
necessary to test biodegradation in real industrial anaerobic digesters, similar to composting.
Degradation in soil:
As with composting and anaerobic digestion, test methods can be used to assess
biodegradation in soil [52]. The European Union has developed specific rules for the
suitability of biodegradable plastic mulches for use in horticulture [53]. The key to
biodegradable plastic mulch is that the carbon in the polymer composition must be converted
to CO2 within 24 months, as measured by a standard test at 20 and 28 °C. These properties
are similar to biodegradable materials in compost [34] and help ensure that non-
biodegradable plastics are not marketed and used. But they cannot guarantee that
biodegradable plastic will actually break down in soil within 24 months because
environments such as microbial organisms, temperature and temperature of soil differ from
soil to soil and also from air. Therefore, biodegradation in laboratory samples may be faster
or slower under certain conditions, but may still be slower because the average soil
temperature is not very close to where the thermometer is used. Therefore, just like
composting, laboratory tests for biodegradability need to be completed as well as on-site
testing in the specific environment and climate in which the plastics are used [18]. Once
placed in soil after use, the plastic film will begin to break down into small pieces before
fully biodegrading. It is possible for these plastics to remain in the soil for many years [54].
Not good for healthy soil. While some studies have shown that biodegradable plastics have
no adverse effects on soil health after 2 or 4 years of continuous use [55–57], other studies
have revealed effects of microbial community structure [58,59]. Long-term research is
needed to ensure that reuse of biodegradable plastic mulches does not harm agricultural
ecosystems.
Materials
The preparation processes for all materials, including PSRF, SAPWS, SAPHEC, SI-
PSRF/SAPWS and SI-PSRF/SAPHEC, were detailed by Song et al. (2019). For readability,
they are all put in the Supplementary materials. SI-PSRF/SAPWS and SI-PSRF/SAPHEC are
semi-IPN composites of PSRF and SAPWS or SAPHEC, thus enriching hydrogen bond
interaction between amide group of PSRF and hydroxyl, amide, or carboxyl group of SAP
(Fig. 1). The simple physical mixtures of PSRF and SAPWS or SAPHEC, namely PSRF +
SAP.
Recycling:
Chemical and mechanical processing are the two approaches that are extensively used for
the recycling of plastic based products. Chemical processing is performed by carrying out
chemolysis with a number of compounds (water, methanol, ethylene glycol etc.), resulting in
depolymerization of the plastic (Awaja and Pavel, 2005). The process of depolymerization
can be carried out by hydrolysis, methanolysis, glycolysis or aminolysis (Awaja and Pavel,
2005, Sinha et al., 2010), resulting in.
Biodegradable polymers:
A growing number of people are using bioplastics made from agricultural waste as a
sustainable and non-polluting substitute for non-biodegradable plastics. According to
European Bioplastics, a bioplastic might be biologically derived, biodegradable, or possess
both characteristics. According to Plastics European and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH
(2019), they are separated into two main categories in this context: biodegradable and non-
biodegradable. Not all bioplastics are derived from natural sources, despite their claim to be.
Perspectives and applications of biopolymers:
The fact that polymers have become more and more commonplace over the past few
decades is evidence of their full integration into daily life. However, as their resources are
limited and quickly running out, substituting them with a sustainable solution, such as
biopolymers, seems like a sensible idea. As environmental concerns and the pressure on fossil
fuels have grown, so too has the development of bioplastics. It is anticipated that the
bioplastics market will expand at a compound annual rate.
Sustainable design for product development:
A balance between the pressures of the market and the environmental effect of
commercial activities is necessary for sustainable growth (SD) of bioplastics as for
commercial application. The United Nations assembly established 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to be incorporated into society by 2030 with this viewpoint in
mind. The Department of Economic and Social Affairs in its report Disability, United States,
Fig. 4 illustrates how the SD objectives offer a comprehensive strategy to achieving a
harmony of society with the environment.
FTIR analysis
In HM-polluted soil, BDP composites’ FTIR spectra obtained at various phases of
tomato development are displayed.. For comparison examination, the non-polluted soil
results from the identical pot trials are shown in Fig. S2. (Song et al., 2019). Asymmetric and
equal stretching vibrations of -NH in -CONH2 at 3445 and 3210 cm−1 and symmetric
stretching vibration of -NH in -CONH– about 3330 cm−1 are the primary absorption peaks
that are diagnostic of amide bonds. About 1627 is when the trait peaks.
Challenges, Conclusions and Recommendations:
During the weathering and biodegradation process, plastics first decompose into small
particles [18], forming microns and nanoplastics [20]. Such microplastics and nanoplastics
can be absorbed by soil organisms (60-62) or transported from the surface by wind or water
before being completely degraded. Transporting compost or soil can lead to the transfer of
microplastics and nanoplastics into aquatic ecosystems. This can be problematic because
biodegradation occurs more slowly in aquatic environments than in terrestrial environments
[18]. It is also non-biodegradable. Products in biodegradable plastics, such as plasticizers,
dyes, or fillers, are released when the plastic polymer itself degrades (20) and
nonbiodegradable products can harm the environment.
To solve these problems we need to better understand degradation. Processes, time
required for complete biodegradation, fate and transport of micro- and nanoplastics, and
products that are not biodegradable in the real environment. Testing may demonstrate the
“natural” biodegradability of plastic polymers, but “actual biodegradability and the fate of
biodegradable products in the environment must be controlled.”
Even some types of biodegradable plastics can easily degrade in compost or anaerobically.
End-of-life targets for degradable plastics should be clearly stated and monitored; some
biodegradable polymers will degrade in the aquatic environment, freshwater and marine
ecosystems. The surrounding water has less microbial activity and is cooler than compost and
soil, resulting in less biodegradation.
For biodegradable plastics to be a good strategy to combat global pollution, not only end-of-
life conditions must be taken into account, but also the importance of doubling production
capacity (raw materials and factories). And the methods required to collect this plastic for
composting or digestion. Due to the limited use of traditional materials in products and the
limited disposal options for these plastics, we expect the use of biodegradable plastics in
profitable businesses to increase. Biodegradable plastics may be viewed by the public as “the
most biodegradable plastics in the environment” and may pose a littering risk. This waste risk
should be reduced and misunderstandings eliminated by informing the public about expected
end-of-life targets and ensuring waste collection measures and appropriate construction.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, their molecules segment scale mixing structures with SAPs can
better reduce the restrictions from HMs on biodegradations and mineral eliminates of BDPs
in polluted soil. This study is the first to demonstrate changes in the breakdown of BDPs in
non-polluted and HM laden soils. Furthermore, the less the inhibitory effect that HMs have
on the breakdown and mineral release of PSRF, the greater the quantity and activity of
functional groups present in component SAP. SAP
Declaration of competing interest
. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or
personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgements:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Shanxi Province
1331 Project Key Innovation Team of Polymeric Functional New Materials, and Shanxi
Province Innovative Disciplinary Group of New Materials Industry.
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