Biodegradable Bioplastics - Assessing Environmental Risk (BIO-PLASTIC-RISK)

可生物降解的生物塑料 - 评估环境风险 (BIO-PLASTIC-RISK)

• 批准号: NE/V007246/1
• 负责人: Antoine Buchard
• 金额: $ 56.47万
• 依托单位: University of Bath
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FV007246%2F1
• 关键词: Biodegradable; Bioplastics; Assessing; Environmental; Risk

Biodegradable bioplastics (BBPs) are a category of materials that offer considerable potential to reduce the global environmental challenge resulting from the accumulation of end-of-life plastic. BBPs are made from renewable carbon such as plant material (bioplastics) and as a consequence of their molecular structure and resulting properties are regarded to have enhanced rates of biodegradation compared to conventional plastics. Currently only around 1% of plastic production is in the form of bioplastics; driven by the potential advantages demand is growing rapidly. BBPs are already widely used in applications with substantive pathways to the natural environment (agricultural mulch film, textile fibres, beads in cosmetics). Yet our understanding about their fate in the natural environment is poorly understood, because key information on the kinetics of degradation and any potential environmental effects of their breakdown products (fragments and chemical additives) is lacking. Biodegradation has been demonstrated under specific conditions, such as commercial compositing, and there are associated standards, but studies indicate degradation can be slow or incomplete under natural conditions. This ambitious, yet highly tractable, 4-year research proposal brings together internationally recognised polymer scientists, marine and terrestrial biologists and ecotoxicologists from the Universities of Plymouth and Bath together with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Project Partner Lenzing AG and an Advisory Group including representatives from Government agencies, BBP producers, commercial users (Sainsbury's and Riverford Organic Farms), Water Authorities as well as NGOs. Collectively the team will establish the fate of BBPs in the environment, their effect on organisms and ecosystem function and develop environmental risk assessments. We will characterise BBPs in terms of their composition (chemical structure, additives) as well as features that can be used to assess deterioration (molecular weight, thickness, strength) in the environment. We will then establish the fate of BBPs in marine and terrestrial environments in terms of rates of deterioration as well as the pathways and environmental accumulation of BBPs and their breakdown products. This will inform experiments to examine any associated direct effects of BBP deterioration on marine and terrestrial organisms (animals such as mussels and earthworms and plants such as herbs and grass) and to examine any indirect consequences on ecological and biogeochemical processes. Collectively, these outcomes, together with existing literature, will be used to evaluate how the fate and behaviour of BBPs in the environment relates to hazards in order to conduct a risk assessment to show at what concentration BBPs and their associated chemicals may have an impact on animals, their habitats, and how the ecosystem functions. Estimates of safe levels in soil and water will be derived as well as factors that add uncertainty and indicate priorities for future research.Outcomes in terms of potential risks, will be communicated alongside the benefits of BBPs - so as to provide a balanced perspective and help guide development for the next generation of BBPs. This will be disseminated by publications and stakeholder engagement, including: data sharing with OECD and Defra; a technical stakeholder workshop (industry, government, consultancy, NGOs. etc) and a training event - how to complete a risk assessment for plastics.There has been considerable media attention on plastic pollution and this has translated into an urgent call for action by the public. However, current understanding of the most appropriate actions is less clear and reliable information on the benefits and risks of novel materials such as BBPs, is lacking. Hence, this research is of critical importance to guide changes in commercial practice and policy responses, such as implementation of the 25 year Environment Plan.

可生物降解的生物塑料（BBP）是一类材料类别，它们具有巨大的潜力，可以减少塑料终止塑料的累积所带来的全球环境挑战。 BBP由可再生碳（例如植物材料（生物塑料））制成，由于其分子结构，与常规塑料相比，其分子结构和所得性能被认为具有增强的生物降解速率。目前，只有大约1％的塑料生产是生物塑料的形式。受潜在优势的驱动，需求正在迅速增长。 BBP已被广泛用于具有自然环境实质性途径的应用（农业覆盖膜，纺织纤维，化妆品的珠子）。然而，我们对自然环境中命运的理解尚不清楚，因为缺乏有关降解动力学的关键信息以及其分解产品（碎片和化学添加剂）的任何潜在环境影响。在特定条件下（例如商业合成）已经证明了生物降解，并且存在相关的标准，但是研究表明，在自然条件下，降解可能是缓慢或不完整的。这项雄心勃勃但又高度可行的4年研究建议将来自普利茅斯大学的国际认可的聚合物科学家，海洋和陆地生物学家以及来自普利茅斯大学的生态毒理学家以及普利茅斯海洋实验室，项目合作伙伴Lenzing AG和包括政府的顾问团体一起汇集了来自政府的普利茅斯大学和巴斯代理商，BBP生产商，商业用户（Sainsbury's和Riverford Organic Farms），水务局以及非政府组织。团队将在环境中建立BBP的命运，它们对生物和生态系统功能的影响并发展环境风险评估。我们将根据BBP的组成（化学结构，添加剂）以及可用于评估环境中的恶化（分子量，厚度，强度）的特征。然后，我们将根据恶化的速度以及BBP的途径和环境积累及其分解产品的命运在海洋和陆地环境中的命运。这将告知实验，以检查BBP恶化对海洋和陆生生物（贻贝和earth等动物以及草药和草等植物）的任何直接影响，并检查对生态和生物地球化学过程的任何间接后果。总的来说，这些结果以及现有文献将用于评估环境中BBP的命运和行为与危害的命运和行为如何进行风险评估以表明BBP及其相关化学物质的浓度可能会影响动物，它们的栖息地以及生态系统的运作方式。将得出土壤和水中安全水平的估计，以及增加不确定性的因素，并指示未来的研究的优先级。在潜在风险方面，将与BBP的好处传达，以提供平衡的观点并帮助您。指导下一代BBP的开发。这将由出版物和利益相关者参与度传播，包括：与OECD和Defra共享数据；技术利益相关者研讨会（行业，政府，咨询，非政府组织等）和培训活动 - 如何完成塑料的风险评估。媒体对塑料污染有很大的关注，这已转化为迫切需要采取行动的呼吁民众。但是，目前对最合适的行动的理解缺乏有关新型材料（例如BBP）的收益和风险的清晰可靠信息。因此，这项研究对于指导商业实践和政策响应的变化（例如实施25年的环境计划）至关重要。