We use cookies to improve your experience, some are essential for the operation of this site.

Microplastics breaking down in different areas of the environment.

Microplastics breaking down in different areas of the environment.
Microplastics breaking down in different areas of the environment.
Microplastics breaking down in different areas of the environment.
Microplastics breaking down in different areas of the environment.
Comments (0)
507743
Renier, Natalie
Microplastics breaking down in different areas of the environment.
Illustration
12/03/2018
MicroplasticAbioticWeathering_Oceanus.png
Caption from Oceanus online, "Sweat the Small Stuff", 12/03/2018:
Currently, little is known about when and where larger plastics break down in the environment to form microplastics. A common perception is that most of the fragmentation occurs in the ocean, but pre-aging of plastics on land could play an important role. In addition to understanding the timing of plastic degradation in the environment, scientists are studying the chemical and weathering processes responsible for the breakdown of larger plastics, such as sunlight, temperature, salinity, humidity, freeze/thaw cycles, and abrasion.
Illustration by Natalie Renier, WHOI Creative
Copyright © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Labels
This item includes these files
Image
Image
Collections