We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Degradation and fragmentation behavior of polypropylene and polystyrene in water
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers compared how polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) plastics break down in water and found that PP fragments into microplastics roughly three times faster than PS due to its crystalline structure forming internal cracks, with fragments reaching nanoscale sizes — a finding relevant to understanding how common plastics shed nanoplastics in the environment.
The polystyrene (PS) retrieved from the beach exhibited no change in surface texture. In contrast to it, the retrieved polypropylene (PP) had a rumpled surface texture. Highly reactive sulfate radical generated by K2S2O8 was employed as degradation initiator of PP and PS, and their degradation behavior was studied in water. The PS carbonyl index value gradually went up down, and its molecular weight (MW) curve discontinuously shifted to a lower MW with the increase of the degradation time unlike the PP. It was found that the PP microplastic production rate was approximately three time higher than the PS from weight ratio dependence on degradation time. The higher microplastic production rate of PP arose from its crystallizability. The voids were produced by change in specific volume occurring by chemi-crystallization and then provoked the cracks leading to quick fragmentation. The SEM photographs suggested that the PP microplastic size facilely reached nm order by the cracking around lamella.
More Papers Like This
Analysis of ultraviolet and thermal degradations of four common microplastics and evidence of nanoparticle release
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Fate of polystyrene and polyethylene nanoplastics exposed to UV in water
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that UV irradiation progressively degrades polystyrene and polyethylene nanoplastics dispersed in water, causing them to become porous, fragment, and ultimately degrade completely, revealing the photochemical fate of nanoplastics in sunlit aquatic environments.
Facile nanoplastics formation from macro and microplastics in aqueous media
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how nanoplastics form from larger macro- and microplastics in aqueous environments, finding that mechanical and photochemical processes in water accelerate fragmentation beyond what occurs on dry land. The findings help explain nanoplastic abundance in aquatic systems and improve models of plastic environmental fate.
The fragmentation of nano- and microplastic particles from thermoplastics accelerated by simulated-sunlight-mediated photooxidation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers measured how quickly three common thermoplastics break down into micro- and nanoplastics under simulated sunlight exposure. Polystyrene fragmented fastest, in less than one year of equivalent real sunlight, followed by polypropylene in under two years and polyethylene in over three years. The findings help estimate how quickly plastic litter in the environment generates secondary microplastic pollution, which could inform cleanup timelines and priorities.
Combined Effects of UV Exposure Duration and Mechanical Abrasion on Microplastic Fragmentation by Polymer Type
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied how UV exposure duration and mechanical abrasion combine to fragment different plastic types under simulated beach conditions. They found that polypropylene was far more susceptible to fragmentation than polyethylene after UV weathering, while expanded polystyrene broke apart readily even without UV exposure. The experiments showed that a large fraction of fragmented particles were too small to recover, suggesting that significant amounts of nanoplastic are being generated on beaches.
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.