Destruction of microplastics in the natural environment

Morphological structure and chemical composition of environmental microplastics (MPs) extracted from water and bottom sediments of Lake Onego were studied. Raman spectroscopy was used to identify MPs polymer types and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive microanalysis was used to study the morphology and trace elements composition of inclusions on their surface. The features of the destruction of MPs, as well as the presence of various chemical elements on their surface including heavy metals, were investigated. Four main mechanisms of MPs microdestruction have been identified: (1) Local destruction of monophasic MPs caused by local oxidation and cleavage of thin flakes and fragments with the formation of nanoscale plastics. (2) The destruction of multiphase microplastics predominantly determined by the selective destruction of one of the phases of the composite, for example, the ligament scission between the individual components of the plastic with their separation. (3) Microbiological destruction of MPs under the influence of diatoms by fixing spores of diatoms on defects of MPs with their subsequent growth, deflection, and separation of nanoscale polymer particles. (4) Mineralogical destruction of MPs associated with the sorption of chemical elements and crystallization of nanocrystals, which under appropriate conditions begin to grow and break-up the MPs accelerating the process of its destruction. The last mechanism have not yet been reported. These mechanisms initiate nanoplastics formation, which increases particles mobility in the aquatic environment and their threat to water organisms. At the same time, the fouling with diatoms (with a silica shell) and the sorption of heavy elements increase the bulk specific density of MPs and contribute to its accumulation in bottom sediments.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant number 19-17-00035.