Abstract
We investigated the carbonyl index (CI) of small microplastics (SMPs; 50–350 μm) and large microplastics (LMPs; >350 μm) in the surface waters of the Tokai region and Tokyo Bay in Japan. The degradation was evaluated by determining the CI from the infrared spectrum of MPs adopting the specified area under the band technique. Average CIs of SMPs and LMPs in polyethylene were 2.47 and 0.67 off Tokai and 2.71 and 0.76 in Tokyo Bay, respectively. No significant differences in the CI were found between polyethylene and polypropylene. However, significant differences in CIs were found between SMPs and LMPs. The relationship between the major length of microplastics and CI was significantly negative for both polyethylene and polypropylene (p < 0.05). The results indicate that as microplastics degrade, they become finer and exhibit a higher CI at the sea surface.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.