Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Human Health Effects Marine & Wildlife Nanoplastics Policy & Risk Remediation Sign in to save

Rapid Production of Micro- and Nanoplastics by Fragmentation of Expanded Polystyrene Exposed to Sunlight

Environmental Science & Technology 2020 241 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Young Kyoung Song, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Soeun Eo, Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Soeun Eo, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Young Kyoung Song, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Soeun Eo, Young Kyoung Song, Soeun Eo, Young Kyoung Song, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Soeun Eo, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Soeun Eo, Young Kyoung Song, Gi Myung Han, Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Sang Hee Hong, Sang Hee Hong, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Gi Myung Han, Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Won Joon Shim Young Kyoung Song, Young Kyoung Song, Won Joon Shim

Summary

Researchers conducted a 24-month outdoor weathering experiment on expanded polystyrene and found it began fragmenting into micro- and nanoplastics within just one month of sunlight exposure. A single square centimeter of weathered EPS could produce approximately 67 million tiny particles. The study highlights that expanded polystyrene debris in the environment can rapidly become a massive source of secondary microplastic and nanoplastic pollution.

Polymers

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a common plastic marine debris found in oceans worldwide. The unique "foamed" structure of EPS, which is composed of thin layers, is more vulnerable to fragmentation than bulk plastics. However, the production rate of micro- and nanoplastics by the fragmentation of EPS following sunlight exposure remains largely unknown. Here, we determined the fragmentation rate and weight loss of EPS in an outdoor weathering experiment that ran for 24 months. It took only 1 month for the weight of an EPS box to decline by 5% due to photodegradation, and approximately 6.7 × 10<sup>7</sup> micro- and nanoparticles/cm<sup>2</sup> could be produced at a latitude of 34 °N. These results indicate that macro EPS debris can continually produce a massive number of particles within a relatively short exposure duration. The findings provide useful information to inform policymakers how rapidly to remove "likely fragmented" plastic litter from the environment.

Read via DOI PubMed

Share this paper

Post Share Share Pin Email