Claire Coutris
Research Scientist
Biography
Claire is a research scientist at NIBIO, since 2013. She holds a PhD in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway), and a MSc in Ecology and Ecotoxicology from the University of Toulouse (France).
Claire works with soil biology, environmental chemistry, and the fate of emerging contaminants in soils. She conducts toxicity tests on soil microorganisms, invertebrates and plants in mesocosms, with an emphasis on the impact on soil processes. She works on several Norwegian Research Council projects on recycling of waste resources (biogas digestate, sewage sludge, compost) to soils.
Abstract
Bionedbrytbare plastposers oppførsel under biogassprosessen ble evaluert i MiReKo-prosjektet med fokus på mikroplastrester i sluttproduktet. Seks bionedbrytbare plastposer fra tre leverandører, alle sertifisert etter EU 13432:2000 ble testet med termisk hydrolyse (THP) og anaerob nedbrytning ved mesofile forhold. Posene inneholdt PBAT blandet med stivelse eller PLA. Vekttapet i løpet av THP ved 4 bar og 152°C i 20 minutter ble 1-35 % avhengig av leverandør, og vekttapet under anaerob nedbrytning i 18 dager ved 37°C ble 2-20 %, igjen avhengig av leverandør. I løpet av hele prosessen (THP + anaerob nedbrytning) ble det observert et vekttap på 4-5 % for L3 poser, 27 % for L1 poser, og 43-45 % for L2 poser, med lite forskjell mellom posetykkelse eller bruksområde. Begrensede kjemiske og morfologiske endringer under anaerob nedbrytning tyder på at bionedbrytbar plast kan være en kilde til mikroplast i miljøet dersom biorest spres uten videre behandling. På grunn av ulik nedbrytning og mulig plastrester i biorest, kan det være behov for etterbehandling som kompostering før spredning på landbruksjord.
Authors
Gunhild Bødtker Claire Coutris Eva Marie-Louise Denison Barbara Alexandra Bukhvalova Åsa Frostegård Erik J. Joner Bjørn Tore Lunestad Kaare Magne Nielsen Pål Trosvik Siamak Pour Yazdankhah Elisabeth Henie MadslienAbstract
There is an increasing global production and demand for biodegradable plastics. But there are still many uncertainties about how and to what extent these plastics degrade and their environmental impacts. To gain a better understanding of these aspects, the Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) has conducted a self-initiated scoping review of existing scientific literature on biodegradable plastics and their environmental impacts. VKM has specifically focused on studies that are relevant to Norwegian and Nordic conditions. The first literature search (June 2024) revealed 2428 international research studies, including primary studies and systematic and non-systematic review articles. The primary studies were divided into three categories: materials, microbiology and ecotoxicology, based on the main focus of the studies. From each category, a quarter of the primary studies and non-systematic review articles were randomly selected for full text analysis. A total of 168 articles were included in the final mapping. A new literature search (October 2025), with a focus on Nordic research and particularly Norwegian conditions, revealed 178 articles, of which 19 were subject to further analysis. The most studied types of biodegradable plastics were polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT). Many of the studies focused on the degradation process of biodegradable mulch film used in agriculture, and how their use affects the environmental conditions in agricultural soils. Most studies reported incomplete degradation during the trial period, which underlines the concern for accumulation of plastic material with repeated use. Other studies simulated different pollution scenarios, such as lost fishing gear, an area that has received attention in recent Nordic studies. Ecotoxicological effects of biodegradable plastics were often only observed at concentrations far above those expected to occur in natural environments. There were indications that effects observed in soil and aquatic ecosystems could just as well be indirect, resulting from changes in physical and chemical properties of soil and water. In general, the effects of biodegradable plastics are comparable to those of conventional (micro)plastics in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, there were studies that suggest that biodegradable plastics are more toxic than conventional plastics under specific conditions, such as after UV exposure, or for certain test organisms. Testing the ecotoxicity of commercial biodegradable plastics was complicated by the lack of transparency about their chemical composition. Only a minority of studies investigated the ecotoxicity of chemical substances leaching from plastic materials, and the results reported were inconsistent. There is a lack of studies that combined degradation studies with toxicological effects. This knowledge gap has also been pointed out in systematic review articles. The review revealed several weaknesses in the existing research, related to study design, analytical methods, definitions and terminology. Current research practice provides many individual studies that are difficult to compare. Thus, they provide limited insight into how degradation and environmental impact occur over time, and in different environments. The review points to the need for strengthened and standardized research, so that the knowledge base becomes more robust and a better understanding of the environmental impact of plastics over time and in different environments can be gained.
Abstract
Funn fra PROLAND: Soppmidler og mikroplast i jorda Forskerne i PROLAND-prosjektet har undersøkt hva som skjer når soppmidler enten adsorberes på bionedbrytbar plastfolie som blir pløyd ned i jorda, kontra at de blandes direkte i jorda. Har dette noe å si for nedbrytningen av soppmidlene? Forskerne har fulgt nedbrytningsforløpet til tre soppmidler tillatt i norsk landbruk, og har nå svaret… Vi får også et unikt innblikk i hvordan meitemarken – naturens egen jordbearbeider – påvirkes av mikroplast. Hvor lang tid tar det for eksempel før en mikroplastpartikkel passerer gjennom meitemarkens tarm? Temaet er kanskje lite delikat på selveste valentinsdagen, men passer utmerket for oss som er nysgjerrige på mikroplastens mobilitet i jorda.
