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Weathering and fragmentation of plastic debris in the ocean environment
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This review investigates how plastic debris breaks down into microplastics in the ocean through weathering driven by UV radiation and oxidation. Researchers found that beach environments are far more effective at fragmenting plastics than the open ocean surface, since floating plastics experience less UV exposure and oxidation. The study suggests that most secondary microplastic generation likely occurs on shorelines rather than in the open sea.
Fragmentation of plastic macro-debris into secondary microplastics [MPs] is primarily the result of their extensive oxidation under exposure to solar UV radiation. The heterogeneity in the marine zones with respect to their oxidative potential for plastics, introduces a marked zonal bias in their ability to carry out weathering and fragmentation. Comparing the oxidative environments of the beach zone and the upper pelagic zone with floating plastics, it is argued that the latter tends to preclude photooxidative fragmentation. Abundant MPs found in seawater are therefore more likely to have originated on beaches or land and subsequently transferred to the water, as opposed to being generated by weathering of floating plastic stock. Laboratory-accelerated weathering of plastics in seawater obtains efficient micro-fragmentation and in some instances photo- dissolution of the plastic debris, but these results cannot be reliably extrapolated to natural weathering conditions in the ocean environment.
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This review pulls together existing research on how sunlight breaks down plastic waste into smaller and smaller microplastic pieces over time. Sunlight exposure weakens plastics and can make them crumble faster, especially on beaches, meaning plastic debris in sunny, wet environments may fragment into more numerous tiny particles that could be easier for humans and wildlife to encounter or ingest.
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