Plastic Waste: What Happens When It Meets Sunlight and Seawater?

Plastic waste is a big problem in our oceans. To understand how it breaks down, scientists tested three common plastics: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and Nylon-6 (N6). They put these plastics in seawater with hydrogen peroxide and exposed them to UV light and heat. Over time, they checked how the plastics changed. PE broke down the most. It got rough on the surface and lost strength. PP didn't break down as much because it's more stable in sunlight. N6 was in the middle. It broke down because of its chemical structure.The scientists also looked at what happens when tiny living things, like bacteria, stick to these plastics. They found that different plastics attract different amounts of these living things. This is important because it shows that plastic waste doesn't just sit there—it changes and interacts with its environment. This study helps us understand how plastic waste behaves in the ocean. It's not just about the plastic itself, but also how it changes and what it does to the environment around it.