Plastics are macromolecular compounds (macromolecules) made from monomers that are polymerized by polymerization or condensation reactions, and microplastics can harm human health. Its deformation resistance is medium, between fiber and rubber, composed of synthetic resins and fillers, plasticizers, stabilizers, lubricants, colorants and other additives. Due to their special properties, they often take 100-300 years to decompose completely in nature.
Plastic in the Ocean: Plastic in the ocean comes mainly from the decomposition of plastic debris at sea and the input of plastic waste on land. These plastics are gradually broken down into tiny plastic particles by physical abrasion, chemical degradation and biodegradation. Researchers have even found microplastics in the Arctic Ocean, indicating that microplastics are already prevalent in the environment.
Plastics in freshwater: Microplastic detections have also been reported in freshwater resources such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs and estuaries one after another. Plastic waste enters the freshwater system through landfills, fishing activities, consumer discards, and sewer discharges, and is oxidized and cracked under the sun's ultraviolet rays, eventually forming microplastics.
Atmospheric plastics: Microplastics in the atmosphere come primarily from synthetic fibers used in textile clothing and from industrial machining of synthetic materials such as shredding and grinding. Trace amounts of plastic particles are released into the atmosphere during the production, processing, use and disposal of plastics, and can be dispersed with air currents, rainfall and even across national borders, with potential impacts on the global environment.
Plastics in Soil: Sources of microplastics in soil include breakage of large plastic wastes, sewage irrigation, sludge reclamation, atmospheric deposition, use of organic fertilizers, and the use of agricultural plastic film. Excess plastics can cause the soil medium to be less mobile, resulting in increasing levels of microplastics in agricultural land and entering human food through the food chain.
