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Sources and Fate of Plastics into Microplastics
Summary
This book chapter provides an overview of how plastics degrade into primary and secondary microplastics through physical, chemical, photodegradation, thermal, and biological processes. Researchers also reviewed remediation methods including sorption, filtration, chemical, and biological approaches for removing microplastics from the environment. The study includes evidence from the X-Press Pearl maritime accident to illustrate the long-term pollution consequences of plastic nurdle spills.
Microplastic pollution in the oceans has continuously increased during the last five decades. However, the characteristics of plastic-making polymers, their degradation/weathering mechanisms, and remediation measures are poorly discussed. Therefore, this book chapter discusses up-to-date facts on plastics production as pollutants (nurdles, polymers) and weathering and degradation of plastics (physical/mechanical, photodegradation/photooxidative, chemical, thermal and biological degradations) into primary and secondary microplastics and their toxicity/potential impacts and removal procedures (sorption and filtration, chemical, and biological methods) from the environment. We also provided evidence for plastic nurdles degradation for a one-year period and continuous/long-term marine pollution after the X-Press Pearl maritime accident.