Environmental Degradation of Plastics: Understanding the Mechanisms

Abstract

Plastics are widely used across consumer and industrial sectors, including construction, automotive manufacturing, electronics, and agriculture, due to their durability, versatility, and cost-effectiveness (Zhang et al. 2021). It is estimated that approximately 438 million tons of plastic are produced yearly (Tsakona et al. 2021). However, the widespread use of plastic has led to a concerning accumulation of plastic waste. Improper disposal of plastic waste leads to significant environmental pollution, contributing to biodiversity loss, human health risks, food and water contamination, economic strain, and the exacerbation of climate change due to its persistent presence in ecosystems (Lin et al. 2022; Tsakona et al. 2021). Plastic pollution is prevalent in terrestrial and marine environments, accumulating and posing long-term ecological risks (Sutkar et al. 2023). Microplastics (MPs, 5 mm > MPs > 100 nm in size) and nanoplastics (NPs; <100 nm in size), which result from the breakdown of larger plastic debris or macroplastics (MaPs; >5 mm in size), have been identified in almost all ecosystems, including natural ecosystems, from ocean and coast to mountains, cities, and rural areas (Lin et al. 2022; Zhang et al. 2021). MPs and NPs are ingested by marine and terrestrial organisms, entering the food chain, and they also act as carriers for harmful pollutants, exacerbating contamination (Shashoua et al. 2024; Tsakona et al. 2021).