Overview
'Biodegradable' plastic products do not necessarily break down within the natural environment and can contribute to the growing issue of plastic pollution within freshwater catchments. By focusing on wet wipe textiles, a significant pollutant within aquatic systems, and cellulose, a popular commercially used biopolymer textile, my PhD research investigates the material properties, transportation, degradation mechanisms, and environmental fate of biodegradable wet wipes from wastewater to freshwater.
My PhD is funded by EPSRC as part of the Sustainable Plastics DTP.
Research
Thesis
Identification, Occurrence, Transport, and Fate of ‘Biodegradable’ Cellulose-based Wetwipes in Freshwater Ecosystems
Funding source
EPSRC Sustainable Plastics DTP
