HYDRA Marine Sciences, a research laboratory, published a meta-study report that concludes that polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based polymer made entirely from fermented plant sugars, does not produce persistent microplastics under hydrolysis process in the presence of water or humidity.

The study was commissioned by PLA producers, members of Holland Bioplastics. The report’s findings were drawn from an initial scan of over 30,000 reports. The research confirmed that environmental degradation of PLA is mainly driven by hydrolysis, an abiotic process that occurs in the presence of moisture or humidity.

Study shows that PLA is degraded under hydrolysis condition.

As long as these conditions prevail, the molecular weight and size of any PLA objects or fragments will continually decrease via hydrolysis, at a rate determined by temperature, until the polymer chains are so short that the material becomes soluble in water.

The soluble substances, such as oligomers and lactic acid monomers, will subsequently be biodegraded by microorganisms into biomass, water and carbon dioxide.

“These findings confirm that as we are growing access to waste infrastructure globally if PLA is leaked into the environment, it will not have the long-term impact as a microplastic that we know occurs with non-biodegradable polymers,” said Erwin Vink, Board Member from Holland Bioplastics.

However, Christian Lott, Managing Director of HYDRA Marine Sciences, emphasized that the report’s result does not encourage littering or slow the development of global waste infrastructure.

HYDRA Marine Sciences, a research laboratory, published a meta-study report that concludes that polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based polymer made entirely from fermented plant sugars, does not produce persistent microplastics under hydrolysis process in the presence of water or humidity.

The study was commissioned by PLA producers, members of Holland Bioplastics. The report’s findings were drawn from an initial scan of over 30,000 reports. The research confirmed that environmental degradation of PLA is mainly driven by hydrolysis, an abiotic process that occurs in the presence of moisture or humidity.

Study shows that PLA is degraded under hydrolysis condition.

As long as these conditions prevail, the molecular weight and size of any PLA objects or fragments will continually decrease via hydrolysis, at a rate determined by temperature, until the polymer chains are so short that the material becomes soluble in water.

The soluble substances, such as oligomers and lactic acid monomers, will subsequently be biodegraded by microorganisms into biomass, water and carbon dioxide.

“These findings confirm that as we are growing access to waste infrastructure globally if PLA is leaked into the environment, it will not have the long-term impact as a microplastic that we know occurs with non-biodegradable polymers,” said Erwin Vink, Board Member from Holland Bioplastics.

However, Christian Lott, Managing Director of HYDRA Marine Sciences, emphasized that the report’s result does not encourage littering or slow the development of global waste infrastructure.