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Effects of UV radiation on natural and synthetic materials
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Researchers reviewed how solar UV radiation degrades natural and synthetic materials like wood and plastic, noting that climate change may shorten material lifespans and that photodegradation of plastic waste is a key driver of microplastic generation — while also surveying emerging nanoscale stabilizers that could make materials more UV-resistant.
The deleterious effects of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation on construction materials, especially wood and plastics, and the consequent impacts on their useful lifetimes, are well documented in scientific literature. Any future increase in solar UV radiation and ambient temperature due to climate change will therefore shorten service lifetimes of materials, which will require higher levels of stabilisation or other interventions to maintain their lifetimes at the present levels. The implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments on substances that deplete the ozone layer, controls the solar UV-B radiation received on Earth. This current quadrennial assessment provides a comprehensive update on the deleterious effects of solar UV radiation on the durability of natural and synthetic materials, as well as recent innovations in better stabilising of materials against solar UV radiation-induced damage. Pertinent emerging technologies for wood and plastics used in construction, composite materials used in construction, textile fibres, comfort fabric, and photovoltaic materials, are addressed in detail. Also addressed are the trends in technology designed to increase sustainability via replacing toxic, unsustainable, legacy additives with 'greener' benign substitutes that may indirectly affect the UV stability of the redesigned materials. An emerging class of efficient photostabilisers are the nanoscale particles that include oxide fillers and nanocarbons used in high-performance composites, which provide good UV stability to materials. They also allow the design of UV-shielding fabric materials with impressive UV protection factors. An emerging environmental issue related to the photodegradation of plastics is the generation of ubiquitous micro-scale particles from plastic litter exposed to solar UV radiation.
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Interactive effects of solar UV radiation and climate change on material damage
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This review examined how solar UV radiation and climate change interact to affect the service lifetimes of organic building materials including plastics and wood, finding that projected UV increases in some regions combined with higher temperatures will significantly accelerate material degradation. The authors highlight that this degradation process contributes to microplastic generation and environmental release.
Environmental plastics in the context of UV radiation, climate change, and the Montreal Protocol
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This review examines how UV radiation and climate change interact with environmental plastics to alter their degradation rates and toxic profiles, with particular focus on how ozone depletion affects UV-induced plastic fragmentation. The authors argue that changing UV environments under climate change will accelerate plastic breakdown and increase nanoplastic production in surface waters.
Modifications of Polymers through the Addition of Ultraviolet Absorbers to Reduce the Aging Effect of Accelerated and Natural Irradiation
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Ultraviolet absorbers added to polymer formulations were reviewed for their effectiveness in reducing photodegradation, which can break polymer bonds and form free radicals that accelerate microplastic generation, with the review identifying conditions where UV stabilizers most effectively extend plastic service life.
Investigation of Surface Alteration of Microplastics by Using UV Irradiation
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UV radiation causes polystyrene and other plastic microparticles to undergo photooxidative degradation, changing their surface chemistry and potentially making them more likely to adsorb or release chemical pollutants. Understanding these weathering processes is important for predicting the environmental behavior and toxicity of microplastics.
Analysis of ultraviolet and thermal degradations of four common microplastics and evidence of nanoparticle release
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Researchers studied how UV light and elevated temperature break down four common plastics and found that weathering releases nanoscale plastic particles. Polystyrene and polypropylene were particularly susceptible to UV degradation, generating significant numbers of nanoparticles. The findings confirm that environmental conditions actively fragment microplastics into even smaller, potentially more harmful nanoplastics.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.