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Characterising the deterioration of different plastics in air and seawater
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Four plastic types were exposed in air and seawater under light and shade conditions for up to 600 days, finding that deterioration (loss of extensibility and increasing oxidation) was faster in air than in seawater and accelerated by direct sunlight. The results indicate that plastics entering marine environments degrade more slowly than land-based plastics, with important implications for the timescale of microplastic generation.
In situ studies of plastic deterioration can help us understand the longevity of macroplastic as well as the generation of microplastics in the environment. Photo-oxidation contributing to the generation of microplastics in the marine environment was explored using four types of plastic (polyethene, polystyrene, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and Biothene® exposed in light and in shade, in both air and sea water. Metrics for deterioration were tensile extensibility and oxidation rate. Measurements were conducted at intervals between 7 and 600 days' exposure. Deterioration was faster in air than in sea water and was further accelerated in direct light compared to shade. Extensibility and oxidation were significantly inversely correlated in samples exposed in air. Samples in sea water lost extensibility at a slower rate. Polystyrene, which enters the waste stream rapidly due to its wide application in packaging, deteriorated fastest and is, therefore, likely to form microplastics more rapidly than other materials, especially when exposed to high levels of irradiation, for example when stranded on the shore.
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Short-term degradability of plastic in the marine environment
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Researchers incubated seven common plastic polymers (PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and EPS) in the marine environment for 40 days at two sites and two seasons, characterizing degradation through visual inspection, mass change, contact angle, FTIR, and SEM analysis. No significant mass loss occurred, but significant changes in oxidation status were recorded with an oscillating trend, and EPS showed the greatest chemical alteration, with macro-biofouling settlement appearing to shield plastics from photochemical degradation.
Influence of thermooxidative degradation on the in situ fate of polyethylene in temperate coastal waters.
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Polyethylene films were artificially aged to four levels of thermooxidative degradation, then deployed in seawater cages off the Swedish coast for 12 weeks to track in-situ degradation and fragmentation. The study found that pre-weathering significantly accelerated further deterioration in the marine environment, with implications for how plastic debris breaks down into microplastics.
Plastic fragmentation in the environment
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This thesis investigates how larger plastic items fragment into microplastics in different environments—air, freshwater, and seawater—finding that plastic degrades fastest when exposed to air and sunlight, and much more slowly in water. The findings suggest that land-based plastic waste exposed to sunlight is a major source of microplastics that eventually enter the marine environment.
An In Situ Experiment to Evaluate the Aging and Degradation Phenomena Induced by Marine Environment Conditions on Commercial Plastic Granules
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Researchers designed two experimental setups to monitor the aging and degradation of commercial plastic granules (HDPE, PP, PLA, and PBAT) in marine conditions over three years. The first six months of results showed measurable changes in plastic properties from exposure to seawater and beach conditions. The study provides real-world data on how different plastic types degrade in marine environments, with biodegradable plastics showing faster changes than conventional polymers.
Experimental weathering of microplastic under simulated environmental conditions - Method development and characterization of pristine, photodegraded and mechanically weathered microplastic
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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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