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Following degradation and fragmentation of plastic litter over two years' weathering on Swedish beaches.

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Τίτλος: Following degradation and fragmentation of plastic litter over two years' weathering on Swedish beaches.
Συγγραφείς: Krång AS; IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Kristineberg 566, SE-451 78, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden. Electronic address: anna-sara.krang@ivl.se., Mellåker H; RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Department of Polymer, Fibre and Composite, 504 62, Borås, Sweden., Chen CY; IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Kristineberg 566, SE-451 78, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden., Magnusson K; IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Kristineberg 566, SE-451 78, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden., de Lima JA; RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Department of Polymer, Fibre and Composite, 504 62, Borås, Sweden.
Πηγή: Marine pollution bulletin [Mar Pollut Bull] 2026 Sep; Vol. 230, pp. 119810. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Apr 29.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0260231 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1879-3363 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 0025326X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Mar Pollut Bull Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: 2003- : Oxford : Elsevier
Original Publication: London, Macmillan.
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Plastics*/analysis , Bathing Beaches* , Environmental Monitoring*, Sweden ; Seashore
Περίληψη: Plastic litter stranded on beaches is a worldwide problem. The harsh conditions, intense UV radiation, fluctuating temperatures and mechanical abrasion from wind and wave forces, should favour macroplastic degradation and increase fragmentation rate. In a field experiment, ten types of commonly found beach litter items of a variety of polymers, product categories and colours, were placed on two highly exposed beaches on the Swedish west coast. Samples were analysed after 6, 12 and 24 months of exposure, and compared to pristine, un-weathered control items, following degradation by measuring changes in chemical composition (FTIR), thermal properties (DSC), mechanical properties (tensile strength) and morphological feature of surface structure (SEM), while fragmentation was indicated from visual inspection, weight loss and analysis of discolouration. Also, after two years' exposure, only minor signs of chemical and thermal degradation and changes in surface morphology were found. Still, after 6-24 months' exposure, several litter items, including string (PE), candy paper (LDPE), plastic bag (LDPE), rope (PP), fishing net (PA), container lid (PET), Styrofoam (ESP) and beach toy (PVC) samples, demonstrated decolouration, weight loss and had already fragmented, or were brittle enough to have the potential to do so as shown by major loss (17-71%) in tensile strength. Candy paper had lost 71% of tensile strength after 12 months, and after 24 months, samples were transparent and > 50% were disintegrated. Our results highlight beach litter as source for microplastic pollution and support management with swift beach cleaning activities of heavily polluted sites to remove macroplastics before microplastics are formed.
(Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare that we have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Beach litter; Degradation; Fragmentation; Marine pollution; Microplastics; Plastics
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Plastics)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260430 Date Completed: 20260714 Latest Revision: 20260714
Update Code: 20260714
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119810
PMID: 42061354
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
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  Data: Plastic litter stranded on beaches is a worldwide problem. The harsh conditions, intense UV radiation, fluctuating temperatures and mechanical abrasion from wind and wave forces, should favour macroplastic degradation and increase fragmentation rate. In a field experiment, ten types of commonly found beach litter items of a variety of polymers, product categories and colours, were placed on two highly exposed beaches on the Swedish west coast. Samples were analysed after 6, 12 and 24 months of exposure, and compared to pristine, un-weathered control items, following degradation by measuring changes in chemical composition (FTIR), thermal properties (DSC), mechanical properties (tensile strength) and morphological feature of surface structure (SEM), while fragmentation was indicated from visual inspection, weight loss and analysis of discolouration. Also, after two years' exposure, only minor signs of chemical and thermal degradation and changes in surface morphology were found. Still, after 6-24 months' exposure, several litter items, including string (PE), candy paper (LDPE), plastic bag (LDPE), rope (PP), fishing net (PA), container lid (PET), Styrofoam (ESP) and beach toy (PVC) samples, demonstrated decolouration, weight loss and had already fragmented, or were brittle enough to have the potential to do so as shown by major loss (17-71%) in tensile strength. Candy paper had lost 71% of tensile strength after 12 months, and after 24 months, samples were transparent and > 50% were disintegrated. Our results highlight beach litter as source for microplastic pollution and support management with swift beach cleaning activities of heavily polluted sites to remove macroplastics before microplastics are formed.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
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  Data: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare that we have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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