Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Linking UV aging of polymers and microplastics formation: An assessment employing various characterization techniques

This study used environmental assessment tools to model how UV aging of plastic polymers drives microplastic formation in marine environments. The analysis identified polymer-specific degradation rates and environmental conditions that accelerate the conversion of plastic debris into microplastics.

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

Linking UV aging of polymers and microplastics formation: An assessment employing various characterization techniques

Researchers examined the link between UV aging of plastic polymers and the generation of microplastics in marine environments, using environmental assessment tools to model the process. The study clarifies how photodegradation rates and polymer type influence the rate and quantity of microplastic formation.

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

Simulated experimental investigation of microplastic weathering in marine environment

Researchers simulated microplastic weathering under marine conditions, finding that exposure to UV light, saltwater, and mechanical abrasion progressively degraded plastic surfaces, increased surface roughness, and enhanced the adsorption capacity of contaminants onto microplastic particles.

2022 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A 4 citations
Article Tier 2

From Macro to Micro Plastics; Influence of Photo-oxidative Degradation

This study used simulated UV aging to investigate how photo-oxidative degradation of common plastics drives fragmentation from macro to micro scale, characterizing the surface property changes and structural breakdown that generate microplastic particles in the environment.

2023 Kemija u industriji 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Physicochemical and biological ageing processes of (micro)plastics in the environment: a multi-tiered study on polyethylene

Researchers applied a multi-tiered approach combining laboratory aging, field deployment, and environmental simulation to study how polyethylene plastic undergoes physicochemical and biological weathering in natural settings. The study found that UV radiation and microbial colonization act synergistically to accelerate surface oxidation and fragmentation of PE into smaller particles.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 54 citations
Article Tier 2

UVA-induced weathering of microplastics in seawater: surface property transformations and kinetics

Researchers studied how UVA radiation weathers microplastics in seawater, examining changes to surface properties and degradation rates. The study developed a model integrating an aging index with degradation kinetics, finding that UV exposure significantly transforms microplastic surface characteristics, which affects their behavior and potential ecological impact in marine environments.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Which factors mainly drive the photoaging of microplastics in freshwater?

This study systematically investigated the roles of UV irradiation, oxygen, temperature, and physical abrasion in the photoaging of polystyrene microplastics in freshwater. UV irradiation and mechanical abrasion were identified as the dominant aging factors, and their combined effect caused more extensive surface oxidation and fragmentation than either alone.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

From macroplastics to microplastics: Role of water in the fragmentation of polyethylene

Laboratory photodegradation experiments compared how polyethylene plastic films fragment in water versus air under UV light, finding that the aquatic environment significantly influences the physical and chemical breakdown of plastic into microplastics. The study improves understanding of how water immersion changes the photodegradation pathways of floating and submerged plastic debris.

2019 Chemosphere 294 citations
Article Tier 2

Photoaging of Polyvinyl Chloride and Polystyrene Under UVA Radiation in Diverse Environmental Conditions

Researchers exposed polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene plastics to UVA radiation under diverse environmental conditions and tracked their photoaging and fragmentation, finding that UVA exposure accelerates microplastic generation in ways that vary with environmental context.

2025 University of Alberta Library
Article Tier 2

Comprehensive assessment of photo-oxidative degradation and biofilm colonization on microplastic pellets in simulated marine environment

Researchers exposed polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon-6 microplastics to artificial UV aging and chemical oxidation in seawater to study photo-oxidative degradation and subsequent biofilm colonization. Aging altered surface chemistry and enabled biofilm formation, with degradation rates and biofilm composition varying by polymer type.

2025 Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A
Article Tier 2

Environmental degradation and fragmentation of microplastics: dependence on polymer type, humidity, UV dose and temperature

Researchers systematically tested how UV light, temperature, and humidity cause five common plastic types to break apart into secondary microplastics and nanoplastics. They found that the type of plastic — not the aging conditions — was the main factor determining how quickly it fragmented and what byproducts it released, data that can improve models predicting how plastics break down in the environment.

2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics 35 citations
Article Tier 2

The surface degradation and release of microplastics from plastic films studied by UV radiation and mechanical abrasion

Researchers examined how UV radiation and mechanical abrasion, both individually and combined, cause plastic films to degrade and release microplastics. They found that the combination of UV exposure and physical wear was significantly more damaging than either factor alone, accelerating surface deterioration and particle release. The study provides evidence that everyday environmental conditions can generate substantial quantities of microplastics from common plastic materials.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic particle versus fiber generation during photo-transformation in simulated seawater

Researchers exposed common plastic films and fibers to simulated sunlight in seawater and tracked the photo-transformation process, finding that particles and fibers formed at different rates and that UV irradiation preferentially generates certain morphologies depending on the parent polymer.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 95 citations
Article Tier 2

From macroplastic to microplastic: Degradation of high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene in a salt marsh habitat

Researchers subjected high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and other plastics to simulated environmental degradation and tracked their fragmentation from macro- to microplastic sizes, characterizing surface changes and particle generation rates.

2016 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 533 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantitative study of microplastic degradation in urban hydrosystems: Comparing in situ environmentally aged microplastics vs. artificially aged materials generated via accelerated photo-oxidation

Researchers compared how polyethylene microplastics degrade in real urban water environments versus under controlled laboratory UV exposure. They found that lab-aged plastics showed primarily physical and chemical changes from UV light, while microplastics collected from stormwater and sediments also showed signs of biological degradation and hydrolysis. The study demonstrates that artificial aging alone does not fully replicate the complex degradation processes microplastics undergo in actual urban water systems.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Progress on the photo aging mechanism of microplastics and related impact factors in water environment

This review examined the photo-aging mechanisms of microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that solar UV radiation drives oxidation reactions that alter surface chemistry, fragment particles further, and enhance their capacity to adsorb and release co-occurring pollutants.

2021 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version) 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradation Pathways of Biodegradable Films in Aquatic Ecosystems: the Role of Environmental Factors in Microplastics Formation

This review examines how biodegradable agricultural and packaging films degrade in aquatic environments, detailing how UV radiation, temperature, microbial activity, and pH interact to determine the rate of microplastic formation from supposedly eco-friendly plastic alternatives.

2025 Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino della Società Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale
Article Tier 2

Investigating the Physicochemical Property Changes of Plastic Packaging Exposed to UV Irradiation and Different Aqueous Environments

Researchers investigated UV-driven degradation of polypropylene and PET packaging materials under different aqueous conditions, finding that UV exposure caused significant physicochemical changes including increased crystallinity and surface cracking that contribute to microplastic formation.

2022 Microplastics 30 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

Influence of UV exposure time and simulated marine environment on different microplastic degradation

Researchers examined how UV radiation and saltwater conditions affect the degradation of polypropylene, polystyrene, and ethylene-vinyl acetate microplastics. The study found that each polymer type responded differently to photodegradation, with changes in surface properties, crystallinity, and chemical bond formation varying by material. Evidence indicates that saline marine conditions can intensify certain degradation processes, suggesting that multiple environmental factors must be considered when assessing microplastic breakdown.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 8 citations