Potential Use of Earthworms to Enhance Decaying of Biodegradable Plastics

Sánchez-Hernández, Juan C.; Capowiez, Yvan; Ro, Kyoung S.

doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b05450

Cited by 64 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 182 publications

(302 reference statements)

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“…Farmers who were affiliated with an FVPO obtained 50% off their invoice in replacing plastic mulch and 66% off the replacement of trellising elements [109,110]. This has solved a large portion of the cost overrun [111]. The use of biodegradable plastic, which decomposes naturally [109], or other organic materials (straw, rice husks, etc.)…”

Section: Opportunities For Waste Management and Use Of Plastic By-products By The Different Agents Involved: Inclusion In The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

The Management of Agriculture Plastic Waste in the Framework of Circular Economy. Case of the Almeria Greenhouse (Spain)

Segura

Ureña

Camacho‐Ferre

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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In recent decades, ecosystems have suffered diverse environmental impacts caused by anthropogenic activities, including the dumping of plastic waste. This situation has prompted the European Union to introduce a new policy based on the circular economy. In this study, the present state and future perspectives on the generation and treatment of plastic waste in the intensive agriculture of Almeria (Spain) are analyzed. This activity generates 1503.6 kg·ha−1·year−1, on average, of plastic waste with an approximate treatment cost of 0.25 €/kg. The present study shows that the volume of plastic waste from intensive agriculture in Almeria is constantly increasing (48,948.2 tons in 2020/21) and it is suggested that the current management system does not meet the needs of the sector. Although it presents great opportunities for improvement under the framework of the circular economy. Furthermore, this work reports a direct relationship between the price of the raw materials needed for the production of plastic and the volume of recycled plastics. For this reason, it would be advisable for the administration to consider the implementation of a tax rebate system for the sector and specifically when the petroleum derivatives used to manufacture plastic are less expensive, and the recycling option is not so attractive.

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Section: Opportunities For Waste Management and Use Of Plastic By-products By The Different Agents Involved: Inclusion In The Cementioning

confidence: 99%

The Management of Agriculture Plastic Waste in the Framework of Circular Economy. Case of the Almeria Greenhouse (Spain)

Segura

Ureña

Camacho‐Ferre

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“… 58 Some authors have suggested nanoplastics would be similarly transported, albeit without providing empirical evidence. 60 Considering that initial investigations on microplastics showed increasing transport with decreasing size, 53 it appears reasonable that nanoplastics could be more susceptible to biologically driven transport and, in particular, ingestion/excretion dynamics. However, experimental evidence for nanoplastics uptake by earthworms and biologically mediated transport is still lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanoplastic Transport in Soil via Bioturbation by Lumbricus terrestris

Heinze

Mitrano

Lahive

et al. 2021

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Plastic pollution is increasingly perceived as an emerging threat to terrestrial environments, but the spatial and temporal dimension of plastic exposure in soils is poorly understood. Bioturbation displaces microplastics (>1 μm) in soils and likely also nanoplastics (<1 μm), but empirical evidence is lacking. We used a combination of methods that allowed us to not only quantify but to also understand the mechanisms of biologically driven transport of nanoplastics in microcosms with the deep-burrowing earthworm Lumbricus terrestris . We hypothesized that ingestion and subsurface excretion drives deep vertical transport of nanoplastics that subsequently accumulate in the drilosphere, i.e., burrow walls. Significant vertical transport of palladium-doped polystyrene nanoplastics (diameter 256 nm), traceable using elemental analysis, was observed and increased over 4 weeks. Nanoplastics were detected in depurated earthworms confirming their uptake without any detectable negative impact. Nanoplastics were indeed enriched in the drilosphere where cast material was visibly incorporated, and the reuse of initial burrows could be monitored via X-ray computed tomography. Moreover, the speed of nanoplastics transport to the deeper soil profile could not be explained with a local mixing model. Earthworms thus repeatedly ingested and excreted nanoplastics in the drilosphere calling for a more explicit inclusion of bioturbation in nanoplastic fate modeling under consideration of the dominant mechanism. Further investigation is required to quantify nanoplastic re-entrainment, such as during events of preferential flow in burrows.

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“…Biodegradation (degradation by using microorganisms/enzymes) of pretreated (grinding/irradiation) plastic is noted to be a potential route to reduce the problems associated with waste plastics 153,154 . It is also noted that earthworms can enhance the degradation of biodegradable plastics in soil 155 . Consequently, innovative pretreatment coupled with technological advances could enhance the degradability of waste plastics.…”

Section: Terrestrial Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 99%