Microplastics are tiny plastic particles found everywhere on Earth, causing environmental harm.
They come from sources like tire wear, clothing fibers, and plastic packaging, but also from small beads added to cleansers, cosmetics, and other beauty products.
Now, researchers at MIT have developed a biodegradable material that could replace these harmful beads in products, helping reduce microplastic pollution.
The new material is made from polymers that break down into harmless sugars and amino acids.
“It’s important to not only clean up existing microplastic pollution but also create materials that don’t add to the problem,” says Ana Jaklenec, a researcher at MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.
These biodegradable particles have many potential uses. In addition to replacing microplastics in beauty products, the researchers showed they could use the particles to encapsulate essential nutrients like vitamin A, offering a way to address nutrient deficiencies affecting 2 billion people worldwide.
The team’s work, led by Jaklenec and Robert Langer, was recently published in Nature Chemical Engineering.
The study’s lead author, MIT graduate student Linzixuan Zhang, worked on creating a material that is not only environmentally friendly but also versatile.
A new kind of plastic
The idea of biodegradable plastics isn’t new, but many older alternatives still contribute to pollution.
In 2019, the MIT team developed a polymer called BMC for encapsulating nutrients. However, when the European Union classified BMC as a microplastic and banned it, the researchers turned to a new solution.
They developed biodegradable polymers called poly(beta-amino esters), which can break down completely in the environment. By tweaking the building blocks of these polymers, they adjusted properties like water resistance and strength, creating a material ideal for replacing microplastics. The new particles dissolve easily in acidic environments, like the stomach, making them safe for food use.
Fortifying food and replacing microbeads
The researchers demonstrated how the particles could be used to encapsulate vitamins like A, D, C, and E, as well as minerals like zinc and iron. Encapsulation protects these nutrients from heat, light, and humidity, ensuring they stay effective for months. To test their idea, they added the particles to bouillon cubes—a popular ingredient in many African countries—and found the nutrients remained intact even after two hours of boiling.
To replace plastic microbeads in cleansers, the researchers mixed the biodegradable particles with soap. This mixture cleaned waterproof makeup and permanent marker more effectively than soap alone or cleansers containing traditional plastic beads. The biodegradable particles also absorbed harmful substances like heavy metals better than current products.
Moving toward a cleaner future
The team is now working on further testing the material for use in cleansers and other applications, supported by a grant from Estée Lauder. They plan to conduct safety studies and apply for FDA approval to classify the material as safe for food use.
“This is a small but important step in tackling the microplastics problem,” says Jaklenec. “Polymers are incredibly useful, but they can also be harmful. This work shows how we can reduce their negative effects.”
By offering a cleaner alternative, the researchers hope their biodegradable material will help reduce microplastic pollution and improve sustainability in everyday products.
