State of microbeads in facial scrubs: persistence and the need for broader regulation.

Microbeads are small spherical plastic particles used as exfoliants in personal care products. Unfortunately, they have been found in the marine environment and are considered a significant contributor to global plastic pollution. In response, several countries have implemented microbead bans over the last few years.

Early signs of plastic degradation and fragmentation: A 40-day study in marine environments.

Conventional plastics are widely present in the ocean as marine plastic debris. This in-situ study investigates the degradability and fragmentation of seven common conventional plastics (PET, PVC, PS, EPS, PP, HDPE, and LDPE) in natural marine environments over a 40-day period. All plastics showed significant chemical changes and oscillating plastic oxidation levels, indicating the synergistic processes of oxidation and removal of oxidation products.

Degradation efficiency of biodegradable plastics in subtropical open-air and marine environments: Implications for plastic pollution.

Bioplastics are increasingly used as a solution to tackle plastic pollution problems. However, their degradability in natural environments is currently under debate. To evaluate their degradation efficiencies, we conducted in-situ degradation experiments in an open-air and two marine environments in Hong Kong.

Impacts of extreme weather events on microplastic distribution in coastal environments.

Microplastic pollution is a pressing environmental threat to the ecosystem, which can be influenced by varying weather factors. With arising weather extremes in recent years, it is crucial to assess the weather effects on coastal microplastic pollution. In this study, we conducted a year-long baseline survey on beach sediment and surface seawater in Hong Kong, and additional surveys after rainstorm and typhoon events.