Comparison of decomposition of different types of biodegradable plastics in the natural environment

Abstract

In the current era, international environmental issues such as global warming are becoming increasingly severe, the carbon footprint needs to be decreased immediately, and humanity is constantly seeking sustainable development solutions. Biodegradable plastics have become a popular research topic in sustainable development. Biodegradable plastics are a type of environmentally friendly plastic that can be decomposed by natural microorganisms under specific environmental conditions and eventually transformed into harmless substances such as water and carbon dioxide. Is biodegradable plastic a perfect solution? What are their flaws? How can we optimize each of the material’s flaws? What will its future development be like? This literature review focuses on different types of biodegradable plastics. We will analyzes and integrates the characteristics of various biodegradable plastic materials such as PLA, PBS, PBAT, and PHA, compares and evaluates them, as well as provide the optimization of each kind of degradable plastic with specific example. And ultimately form a comprehensive literature review on biodegradable plastics.