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Papers
2 resultsTo what extent are microplastics from the open ocean weathered?
Researchers collected plastic debris from the North Atlantic subtropical gyre and analyzed its physical and chemical weathering, finding that most particles showed signs of significant UV-induced oxidation. Understanding the degree of weathering is important because it affects how plastics interact with organisms and how easily they fragment further into nanoplastics.
Degradation mechanisms of organic compounds in molten hydroxide salts: a radical reaction yielding H<sub>2</sub> and graphite
Researchers found that treating plastics like polyethylene in molten hydroxide salts at 400°C proceeds via a radical mechanism rather than oxidation, producing recoverable graphite and hydrogen gas without CO2 emissions, opening a new carbon-free route for plastic recycling.