What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to validate analytical methods for quantifying biodegradable microplastics in compost and assess their degradation in soil.

March 26, 2026Bioresource TechnologyOpen Access

Residual biodegradable microplastics derived from compostable packaging under large-scale industrial composting fully degrade in soil

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Demonstrates biodegradation of microplastics in soil from compostable packaging, suggesting environmental safety.

The aim is to validate analytical methods for quantifying biodegradable microplastics in compost and assess their degradation in soil.
Optimized analytical protocol for biodegradable microplastics extraction and quantification.
Conducted experiments on full-scale industrial compost samples.
Used fractional and density separation methods followed by oxidative digestion and FTIR microscopy for identification.
Monitored biodegradation rates of PLAs, PBAT, and PHBV under composting and soil conditions.
PLA showed 98.4% biodegradation, PBAT 92.6%, while PHBV showed only 49.9% degradation.
Residual microplastics underwent continued mineralization in controlled soil conditions.
Analysis confirmed the environmental compatibility of compostable packaging materials.

Coulibaly et al. (2026) studied this question.

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