Two sides of the same coin: weathering differences of plastic fragments in coastal environments around the globe

Abstract

Plastic debris in coastal environments usually undergoes weathering due to various environmental conditions. However, the weathering effects on exposed and shaded sides of the same plastics are underexplored. In this study, 1573 plastic fragments were collected from 15 coastal sites worldwide between December 2021 and December 2022, and weathering experiments were conducted outdoors. The field investigation showed significant two-sided weathering differences of plastic fragments. The weathering morphology included biota, cracks, delamination, discoloration, etc. The weathering degree was assessed with three metrics, i.e., line density (0 to 58 mm/mm²), surface loss (0 to 92%), and texture index (0 to 2). The 3D magnitudes of these three metrics revealed the two-sided weathering differences of plastic fragments. Specifically, 43% of the samples had magnitudes > 5, indicating significant differences. Outdoor simulations suggested that sun-exposed sides developed more cracks, pores, and bubbles, while shaded sides remained smoother. After 12 months, the line density increased from 2.85 to 9.23 mm/mm² for polyethylene (PE) and 4.16 to 8.47 mm/mm² for polypropylene (PP) (p < 0.05). The carbonyl index increased from 0.50 to 1.70 (PE), from 0.18 to 1.10 (PP), and from 0.45 to 1.57 (polyvinyl chloride). This increase indicated oxidative degradation on sun-exposed sides. Our results highlighted the uneven degree of weathering on both sides of the same plastic fragment due to different environmental factors. The study provided critical insights for creating more accurate models to predict plastic degradation, which will help inform global strategies to reduce plastic pollution.