Newly Plastic Pollution in the Ocean

<title>Abstract</title> <p> Background Plastics are very useful owing to their lasting durability, but their improper handling has given rise to their flow into the oceans around the world. Quantitative and objective assessment of the extent of this pollution has yet to be made. To clarify the problems that arise from the used plastics, field surveys on coastal sand and seawater more than 25 countries in the Northern Hemisphere from the surface of seawater to a depth of 5,000 m were carried out and on seabed sediment by chemical extraction. Monomers used in thermoplastic (TP) were found present in all samples. A new thermal decomposition using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a heat medium was developed to elucidate the origins of monomers in the ocean, kinetically. Results In field survey, world average SOs* for world coasts to be 3,500 µg kg ^-1 for sand and 6.0 µg L ^-1 in water. BPA to be 1,500 µg kg ^-1 for sand and 30.0 µg L ^-1 for water. The composition ratios of SOs were 1:1:10 for sand and 1:1:11 for seawater. SOs in sand showed twice the values of BPA in sand and BPA five times as much SO values in water. Rate constants were calculated based on the amount of TP monomer produced at each temperature, and an activation energy (E _a ) of 40.0 to 42.0 <italic>kJmol</italic> ^-1 was determined using an Arrhenius plot. The composition ratios of SOs were 1:1:5 for purified PS decomposition. The forensic approach indicated actual state of new pollution by drift plastics and what should be expected in the future. Conclusion Since 1950, 3% TP produced globally has entered the ocean, and 15% drifting plastic has degraded. It has been suggested that the generating monomers not only exert direct toxicity on marine ecosystems but also contribute to global warming. Currently, 85% plastic remains adrift in the ocean, continuously releasing monomers into the environment over time. </p>