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The characterization of pyroplastics on the Sea of Japan coastline
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Researchers characterized pyroplastics, a novel form of plastic waste originating from the burning and melting of plastics, collected from beaches along the Sea of Japan coastline. The study found these pyroplastics were ubiquitous across sampling sites, composed of mixed polymer types including polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, with the highest concentrations found at an enclosed bay site.
Recent reports have suggested the widespread distribution of a novel form of plastic waste on marine shorelines; plastics seemingly originating from the burning and melting of plastic waste. These plastics, termed pyroplastics, were collected in the intertidal zone of beaches on the Sea of Japan coastline and analyzed for their composition. Despite their unknown origins, these pyroplastics are a ubiquitous presence along the Sea of Japan coast. A total of 146 pyroplastics were found with the highest occurring at Koura, the enclosed bay site, with 2.1 pyroplastics/m and the lowest at Chirihama, the site furthest north, with 0.3 pyroplastics/m. Among these were mixtures of plastic polymer types, which included the most commonly used plastics: polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene. Most samples did not show signs of colonization by marine organisms, suggesting a greater likelihood of being produced and transported locally. Still, there are various aspects to these novel plastic types that are unknown, specifically with respect to their toxicity and their propensity to fragment into microplastics.
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An integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment of Japan
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Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of microplastic pollution across 14 coastal locations around Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa, measuring concentrations of 288.7 g/km2 in surface water and 1,185 kg/km2 in sediment and characterizing polymer types, shapes, and size distributions.
Pyroplastics: A new potential threat to coastal environments in the Anthropocene.
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This review summarizes existing research on pyroplastics, plastic debris melted or burned in coastal fires. It found pyroplastics occur more often on coastal beaches than island beaches, often contain lead and chromium, and are commonly made of polypropylene or polyethylene, with most studies using FTIR to identify plastic types.
A study of ‘new plastic formations’ found in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan
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Researchers documented new plastic formations on coasts of the Seto Inland Sea in Japan, describing fused and melted plastic-rock composites as a novel anthropogenic geological feature forming on Asian Pacific coastlines.
Plasticrusts, plastiglomerate and pyroplastic: new connections among novel plastic forms
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Plasticrusts, plastiglomerates, and pyroplastics are newly identified forms of plastic that have fused with rocks, sand, or other natural materials along marine coastlines worldwide. These novel plastic forms are created through weathering, burning, and melting processes and represent a largely unstudied pathway for microplastic generation. Their discovery shows that plastic pollution is transforming coastal environments in ways scientists are only beginning to understand.
An Integrated Assessmentof Microplastic Pollutionin Coastal Surface Water and Sediment of Japan
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Researchers conducted an integrated assessment of microplastic pollution in coastal surface water and sediment around Japan, providing a comprehensive dataset that clarifies the extent of contamination in Japanese coastal areas previously lacking systematic monitoring data.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.