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Marine biodegradation of otherwise persistent engineering nylons
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Scientists discovered that some common nylon fishing lines can actually break down naturally in ocean water, even though nylon is usually thought to stick around forever in the environment. This matters because fishing gear is a major source of ocean plastic pollution and microplastics, which can end up in seafood and eventually our bodies, so finding nylons that biodegrade could lead to less plastic waste polluting our oceans and food chain.
Engineering nylons are generally considered persistent in the environment, including the marine environment. However, some commercially available nylon fishing lines, composed of mass-produced engineering nylon copolymers, unexpectedly exhibit biodegradation in natural seawater, and the mechanism...
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