Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Rheological Characterization of UV and Shear‐Induced Degradation of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate): Linking Environmental and Processing Histories to Recyclability

Researchers studied how UV light exposure and mechanical processing degrade PET plastic at the molecular level. They found that UV aging in water environments causes the plastic chains to break apart, while dry conditions promote crosslinking, and that even a single round of recycling processing dramatically reduces crystal size and releases volatile byproducts. The study reveals that both environmental weathering and recycling significantly weaken PET's mechanical properties, which has implications for both microplastic generation and plastic recyclability.

2025 Polymer Engineering and Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes in the Chemical Composition of Polyethylene Terephthalate under UV Radiation in Various Environmental Conditions.

Researchers exposed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to UV radiation under controlled humidity conditions and tracked changes in its chemical composition, finding progressive oxidation and chain scission that alter the polymer's surface properties. Understanding how PET degrades under UV exposure is important for predicting how PET microplastics form and what chemical changes make them more or less bioavailable.

2024 Polymers
Article Tier 2

Photo-induced degradation of single-use polyethylene terephthalate microplastics under laboratory and outdoor environmental conditions

Researchers tested how sunlight, water, and physical wear work together to break down PET microplastics, the type commonly found in plastic bottles and food packaging. Over 60 days, combined UV light and water exposure caused significant chemical degradation of the plastic surfaces. This matters because as microplastics break down in the environment, they release smaller fragments and potentially harmful chemicals that are easier for organisms to absorb.

2025 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 9 citations
Review Tier 2

A focused review on recycling and hydrolysis techniques of polyethylene terephthalate

This review examines techniques for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most common plastics found as microplastic pollution. Chemical recycling through hydrolysis shows the most promise for breaking PET back into its original building blocks for reuse. Improving PET recycling is important because reducing plastic waste at the source is one of the most effective ways to decrease microplastic contamination in the environment.

2023 Polymer Engineering and Science 154 citations
Article Tier 2

Влияние ультрафиолетового излучения на фрагментацию полимеров в водной среде

This review examines how UV radiation drives polymer fragmentation in aquatic environments through autocatalytic thermal oxidation initiated by solar radiation, which combined with wind and mechanical stress causes molecular chain scission. The authors also discuss how prior UV aging accelerates subsequent mechanical fragmentation, providing a mechanistic framework for understanding microplastic generation from larger plastic items in water.

2025 Vodosnabzhenie i sanitarnaia tehnika
Article Tier 2

A Mini Review on Recent Insight into Degradation of Environmental Plastics

This mini-review summarizes current knowledge on how plastics break down in the environment to form microplastics, covering mechanical, photochemical, thermal, and biological degradation pathways, and identifies key gaps in understanding how environmental conditions and plastic properties influence degradation rates.

2023 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Structural decay of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by enzymatic degradation

Researchers examined the structural decay of poly(ethylene terephthalate) through enzymatic degradation as a sustainable recycling strategy, finding this approach requires neither energy nor harsh solvents, offering a promising path for addressing microplastic pollution from PET products.

2025 Polymer Journal
Article Tier 2

Photodegradation of PET plastics produces persistent compounds that accumulate in sediments

Researchers investigated the photodegradation of polyethylene terephthalate plastics and found that UV-driven breakdown produces persistent low-molecular-weight compounds that accumulate in sediments, raising concerns about the long-term chemical legacy of PET waste in aquatic environments.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin
Article Tier 2

A comprehensive review on polymer degradation: Mechanisms, environmental implications, and sustainable mitigation strategies

This comprehensive review examined polymer degradation mechanisms including thermal, photo, oxidative, hydrolytic, and biodegradation processes and their environmental implications. The study discussed how these degradation pathways generate microplastic pollution and contribute to ecosystem disruption, while evaluating sustainable mitigation strategies such as biodegradable polymers, advanced recycling, and stabilization techniques.

2025 Communication in Physical Sciences 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (pet) as Secondary Microplastics Under Three Different Environmental Conditions

Researchers investigated the degradation of PET bottles used as biofilm media in wastewater treatment plants under indoor, outdoor, and UV-irradiated conditions over seven months, measuring secondary microplastic generation. They found that UV irradiation dramatically accelerated PET fragmentation, with microplastic concentrations rising from 15 particles per liter at month one to nearly 249 particles per liter by month seven, with fragments and transparent particles dominating.

2022 International Journal of Geomate 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Management of Microplastic Pollutions from PET Bottles: Overview and Mitigation Strategies

Researchers reviewed the environmental impact of PET bottle degradation and strategies for managing the resulting microplastic pollution. The study highlights that PET bottle usage continues to grow, and its breakdown releases low-molecular-weight compounds and microplastics, while outlining mitigation approaches including improved recycling and waste management practices.

2025 Applied Sciences 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Research progress on chemical depolymerization and upcycling of PET waste plastics

This review examines recent advances in chemical methods for breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste plastics into useful raw materials. Researchers surveyed techniques including glycolysis, methanolysis, hydrolysis, and aminolysis that can convert PET back into monomers for reuse. The study highlights chemical depolymerization as a promising approach to reduce plastic pollution while recovering valuable materials from waste.

2025 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Changes in the Chemical Composition of Polyethylene Terephthalate Under UV Radiation in Various Environmental Conditions.

Researchers studied how UV radiation degrades PET plastic under varying humidity (dry vs. saturated) and temperature (30-50 degrees C) conditions for up to 20 days. High humidity and elevated temperature significantly accelerated ester bond cleavage and carboxylic acid formation, key chemical changes that produce micro-nano plastics.

2024 Research square
Article Tier 2

From cracks to secondary microplastics - surface characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) during weathering

Scientists tracked how PET plastic, the material used in water bottles and clothing, develops cracks and eventually breaks into microplastics during exposure to UV light and water. Different forms of PET broke down in different ways and at different speeds, with water-submerged samples showing organized crack networks within 30 days. The study helps explain how everyday plastic products fragment into the microplastics found throughout the environment, with fibers being one of the most common shapes produced.

2024 Chemosphere 40 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation Pathways and Ecological Consequences of use of Polythene

This review examines the degradation mechanisms of polyethylene (polythene), covering biological, photochemical, thermal, and mechanical pathways, and assesses the ecological consequences of polyethylene accumulation in the environment alongside proposed remediation strategies including reduction, recycling, and biodegradation.

2024 IntechOpen eBooks 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Accelerated photoaging of microplastic - polyethylene terephthalate: physical, chemical, morphological properties and pesticide adsorption

Researchers subjected polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics to accelerated photoaging under simulated sunlight, characterizing changes in surface chemistry, crystallinity, and mechanical properties over time. Photoaging increased surface oxidation, reduced molecular weight, and enhanced the release of plastic additives, suggesting aged PET microplastics present greater chemical hazard than pristine particles.

2024 LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas)
Article Tier 2

ElectrochemicalDegradation of PET Microplastics andIts Mechanism

Researchers investigated the electrochemical degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that after 6 hours of electrolysis without additional catalyst, weight loss reached as high as 68%. The study found that temperature was the most critical factor, that increased PET crystallinity limits degradation efficiency, and that hydroxyl and sulfate radicals are the key active species driving degradation.

2025 Figshare
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microbial degradation of polyethylene terephthalate: a systematic review

This systematic review examines how microorganisms like bacteria and fungi can break down PET plastic, one of the most common types of plastic waste. The research identifies several promising biological approaches that could help reduce plastic pollution without the harmful side effects of chemical recycling methods. Finding better ways to break down plastic waste is critical for reducing the microplastics that end up in our water, food, and bodies.

2022 SN Applied Sciences 68 citations
Article Tier 2

A comprehensive review on polymer degradation: Mechanisms, environmental implications, and sustainable mitigation strategies

This comprehensive review examined the different ways plastics break down in the environment, including through heat, sunlight, chemical reactions, and biological processes. Researchers highlighted how polymer degradation leads to microplastic pollution, ecosystem disruption, and potential health risks for both wildlife and humans. The study emphasizes that biodegradable plastics, improved recycling, and better stabilization techniques are needed to manage plastic waste more sustainably.

2025 Communication in Physical Sciences 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics in the environment: Systematic studies to determine release rates of secondary micro- and nanoplastics and water-soluble organics induced by photolysis and hydrolysis

Researchers conducted systematic studies on the photolytic and hydrolytic degradation of microplastics using three photolysis protocols and multiple polymer types to determine release rates of secondary micro- and nanoplastics and water-soluble organics, providing mechanistic data needed for environmental fate and risk assessment.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

The fate of microplastics in the environment: Systematic studies to determine release rates of secondary micro- and nanoplastics and water-soluble organics induced by photolysis and hydrolysis

Researchers conducted systematic studies on the photolytic and hydrolytic degradation of microplastics using three photolysis protocols and multiple polymer types to determine release rates of secondary micro- and nanoplastics and water-soluble organics, providing mechanistic data needed for environmental fate and risk assessment.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Recent advances in research from plastic materials to microplastics

This review traced recent advances in understanding plastic material degradation into microplastics, covering mechanical, photochemical, and biological fragmentation pathways and reviewing current knowledge on environmental fate and biological effects.

2024 Zastita materijala 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Determinants for an Efficient Enzymatic Catalysis in Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Degradation

This review covers the current state of enzymatic PET degradation, examining which enzymes act on PET, how protein engineering has improved their activity, and what challenges remain before enzymatic recycling can be deployed at industrial scale.

2023 Catalysts 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation of polypropylene : proportion of microplastics formed and assessment of their density.

Researchers quantified the proportion of microplastics generated during UV-driven degradation of polypropylene and assessed changes in chemical composition caused by photooxidation. The study found that UV exposure progressively fragments polypropylene and alters its surface chemistry, affecting subsequent environmental behavior and toxicity.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)