@article {2946,
	title = {Rapid Degradation of Cellulose Diacetate by Marine MicrobesRapid Degradation of Cellulose Diacetate by Marine Microbes},
	journal = {Environmental Science \& Technology Letters},
	volume = {9},
	year = {2022},
	month = {Nov-01-2022},
	pages = {37 - 41},
	abstract = {The persistence of cellulose diacetate (CDA), a biobased plastic used in textiles and single-use consumer products, in the ocean is currently unknown. Here, we probe the disintegration and degradation of CDA-based materials (25 mu m films, 510 mu m foam, and 97 g/m2 fabric) by marine microbes in a continuous flow seawater mesocosm. Photographic evidence and mass loss measurements demonstrate that CDA-based materials disintegrate in months. Disintegration is marked by the increasing esterase and cellulase activity of the biofilm community, suggesting that marine microbes degrade CDA. The natural abundance stable (13C) and radiocarbon (14C) isotopic signature of carbon dioxide respired during short-term bottle incubations confirms the rapid degradation of both acetyl and cellulosic components of CDA by seawater microbial communities. These findings challenge the paradigm set by governmental agencies and advocacy groups that CDA-based materials persist in the ocean for decades, and represent a positive step toward identifying highutility, biobased plastics with low environmental persistence.},
	keywords = {ACETATE, BIODEGRADATION},
	issn = {2328-8930},
	doi = {10.1021/acs.estlett.1c0084310.1021/acs.estlett.1c00843.s001},
	url = {https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000730351300001?AlertId=ab9062f8-b111-4f95-a2b8-66e7afac0471\&SID=7DMV3hUCqV1Mt8lQGWY},
	author = {Mazzotta, Michael G. and Reddy, Christopher M. and Ward, Collin P.}
}
@article {walsh_synergy_2022,
	title = {Synergy between Sunlight, Titanium Dioxide, and Microbes Enhances Cellulose Diacetate Degradation in the Ocean},
	journal = {Environmental Science \& Technology},
	volume = {56},
	number = {19},
	year = {2022},
	note = {Publisher: American Chemical Society},
	month = {09/2022},
	pages = {13810{\textendash}13819},
	abstract = {Sunlight chemically transforms marine plastics into a suite of products, with formulation-the specific mixture of polymers and additives-driving rates and products. However, the effect of light-driven transformations on subsequent microbial lability is poorly understood. Here, we examined the interplay between photochemical and biological degradation of fabrics made from cellulose diacetate (CDA), a biobased polymer used commonly in consumer products. We also examined the influence of \~{}1\% titanium dioxide (TiO2), a common pigment and photocatalyst. We sequentially exposed CDA to simulated sunlight and native marine microbes to understand how photodegradation influences metabolic rates and pathways. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that sunlight initiated chain scission reactions, reducing CDA{\textquoteright}s average molecular weight. Natural abundance carbon isotope measurements demonstrated that chain scission ultimately yields CO2, a newly identified abiotic loss term of CDA in the environment. Measurements of fabric mass loss and enzymatic activities in seawater implied that photodegradation enhanced biodegradation by performing steps typically facilitated by cellulase. TiO2 accelerated CDA photodegradation, expediting biodegradation. Collectively, these findings (i) underline the importance of formulation in plastic{\textquoteright}s environmental fate and (ii) suggest that overlooking synergy between photochemical and biological degradation may lead to overestimates of marine plastic persistence.},
	issn = {0013-936X},
	doi = {10.1021/acs.est.2c04348},
	url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c04348},
	author = {Walsh, Anna N. and Mazzotta, Michael G. and Nelson, Taylor F. and Reddy, Christopher M. and Ward, Collin P.}
}
