Cellulose-based wet wipes undergo limited degradation in river environments

Allison, Thomas, Ward, Benjamin D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1406-5940, Harbottle, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6443-5340 and Durance, Isabelle ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4138-3349 2025. Cellulose-based wet wipes undergo limited degradation in river environments. Environmental Pollution 384 , 126971. 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126971

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Abstract

The environmental fate of cellulose-based “biodegradable” wet wipes in freshwater ecosystems remains poorly understood, despite growing market demand and legislative shifts banning plastic-containing alternatives. This study evaluated the degradation behaviour of two commercially available biodegradable wet wipe brands in upland stream mesocosms mimicking real-world river conditions. Using tensile strength loss (TSL) as the primary degradation metric, wipe degradation was compared across varied pH, temperature, nutrient, and light regimes, alongside cotton strip controls. Results revealed that although degradation rates varied by material and environmental context, both wet wipe brands persisted in river systems for 5 weeks, with Brand A degrading ∼50 % faster than Brand B and nearly twice as fast as cotton controls. Degradation was significantly influenced by pH, temperature, and total dissolved solids, but not by wipe positioning in the water column (hyporheic, submerged, surface) or microbial biomass alone. Temperature-adjusted TSL (% per degree day) emerged as the most robust degradation metric, suggesting initial physical disintegration preceded microbial breakdown. These findings challenge current biodegradability claims and highlight the need for regulatory testing under environmentally relevant freshwater conditions to ensure truly biodegradable wet wipe products.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Biosciences Schools > Engineering Schools > Chemistry Research Institutes & Centres > Water Research Institute (WATER)
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0269-7491
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	13 August 2025
Date of Acceptance:	8 August 2025
Last Modified:	14 Aug 2025 09:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/180406

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