Imitating the Weathering of Microplastics in the Marine Environment

Summary

Laboratory weathering experiments simulating UV exposure, mechanical abrasion, and saltwater immersion accelerated the fragmentation of plastic samples into microplastics, replicating processes that occur over years in the marine environment. Understanding these degradation mechanisms is essential for predicting how quickly plastic debris transforms into the smaller particles that are most difficult to remove and most readily ingested by marine organisms.