Products Cited in Publications Worldwide Photodegradation of Pet Plastics Produces Persistent Compounds that Accumulate in Sediments

Photodegradation of Pet Plastics Produces Persistent Compounds that Accumulate in Sediments

Hwang, Eonjin; Ahmad, Raees; Shafique, Imran; Shim, Woon Joon; Son, Seungwoo; Kim, Sunghwan

Abstract

The extensive global use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has led to increased plastic pollution in marine environments, posing significant ecological and health risks due to photodegradation. In this study, PET photodegradation was simulated under controlled marine-like conditions. Utilizing ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identified 17 degradation products, five of which were confirmed using authentic standards. Laboratory-based simulations indicated that the global annual release of these compounds could range from 1 to 5.5 tons, suggesting potential environmental accumulation. To verify this, targeted environmental analyses were conducted, detecting PET-derived degradation products in marine sediments collected from Ganggu Port, South Korea. These results underscore the environmental risks associated with PET photodegradation and emphasize the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies.

Keywords

Microplastics ; Polyethylene terephthalate ; Photodegradation ; Toxicity Assessment ; Marine pollution

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