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Cracking and Photo-Oxidation of Polyoxymethylene Degraded in Terrestrial and Simulated Marine Environments
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Researchers exposed small polyoxymethylene pellets to terrestrial and simulated marine environments over three years, documenting surface cracking, photo-oxidation, and mass and diameter reductions of approximately 10% and 40% respectively along with generation of 100-300 micrometer fragments. UV irradiation caused smaller changes than combined heat and light exposure, as UV could not penetrate the particle interior.
Marine plastic debris is an environmental problem, and its degradation into microplastics (1-5000 μm) introduces them into the food chain. In this study, small polyoxymethylene (global production ~3000 Tg per year) pellets were exposed in terrestrial and simulated marine environments to heat and light, resulting in cracking during decay with increasing IR absorption (OH-bonds). Furthermore, sunlight over three years reduced pellet mass and diameter (~10% and ~40%), initially yielding 100-300 μm fragments. Changes under UV irradiation were smaller as it could not penetrate into particle interiors. Characteristic spacing of surface striations (100-300 µm) initiated radial cracks to pellet interiors, and breakdown ultimately meant 95% of particles were <300 µm, which are potentially incorporated in marine turbidites.
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Researchers subjected the engineering polymer poly(oxymethylene) to sunlight and simulated marine weathering conditions and tracked changes in its physico-chemical properties over time, studying how this less-studied plastic degrades and generates microplastic particles in environmental settings.
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Polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics of two sizes were weathered under simulated ocean surface and intertidal conditions for 80 days to study physical and chemical degradation. Photodegradation was found to cause significant surface oxidation and embrittlement, with smaller particles and intertidal exposure conditions producing faster weathering.
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Researchers applied a multi-tiered approach combining laboratory aging, field deployment, and environmental simulation to study how polyethylene plastic undergoes physicochemical and biological weathering in natural settings. The study found that UV radiation and microbial colonization act synergistically to accelerate surface oxidation and fragmentation of PE into smaller particles.
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Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics degrade in artificial seawater and found that exposure led to surface oxidation, cracking, and fragmentation over time. The study suggests that environmental degradation of microplastics in marine settings may generate progressively smaller particles, including nanoplastics, while also releasing chemical additives into surrounding waters.
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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.