Jornal de Biologia Marinha e Oceanografia

Fighting Marine Plastic Pollution with Seawater Degradable Polymers

Alexa Smith

Polymers shape human life, yet because to their extended lifespan and low degradability, they have also been identified as ocean pollutants. Several studies have recently looked into the effects of (micro) plastics on marine life, biodiversity, and toxicity. Even though the repercussions are still being debated, it is desirable to avoid excessive waste. Newly developed polymers that breakdown in seawater, in particular, are being studied as prospective replacements for commodity polymers in several applications. In seawater, biodegradable polymers that disintegrate in vivo (for biomedical purposes) or during composting often degrade excessively slowly. Too far, no complete summary of polymer breakdown in seawater has been published, and investigations on seawater degradation do not follow standardised standards. This article summarises the principles, methods, and other factors that influence the degradation of biodegradable polymers or polymer blends in seawater.