Table 2 Summary of the surface and bulk-phase degradation of 12-month aged marine microplastics and ranking of their marine degradation features.
Polymer Type | Surface artefacts | Surface area | Surface chemistry | Crystallinity (XRD) | Thermal stability | Particle size | Degradation rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LLDPE | tube worm casts; flaking, cracking; increased surface roughness; | ↑ 1265% | ↑ C-O | ↓ 29.55% | no change | ↑ 21.36% | 6 |
PP | flaking, cracking, increased surface roughness, MNP formation | ↑ 1202% | ↑ C-O; ↓ C = O | ↓ 3.79% | no change | no change | 4 |
ePS | (in)organic matter; microbes; marine organisms; PIOM, creases and crevices, increased surface heterogeneity; | ↑ 357% | ↑ O-H; ↑ C-O | ↑ 69.50% | no change | n.d | 7 |
PET | microbes; marine organisms; craters/bubble-like structures, increased surface heterogeneity | ↑ 363% | ↑ O-H | ↓ 19.94% | ↓ 8 °C | no change | 5 |
PVC | epiphytes: extensive cracking, flaking, increased surface roughness, MNP formation | ↑ 311% | ↑ C-O | ↓ 18.05% | no change | ↓ 3.78% | 2 |
PA | (in)organic matter, biofilms; PIOM, flaking and longitudinal cracks, increased surface heterogeneity | ↑ 114% | ↑ O-H; ↑ C = O | ↓ 23.78% | no change | n.d | 3 |
PCL | pits, cracks, holes, deep fractures and cavities, increased surface roughness and heterogeneity, MNP formation | ↑ 765% | ↓ C = O; ↓ C-O | ↓ 3.06% | no change | ↓ 13.46% | 1 |
