How are Microplastics Generated?

De-la-Torre G.E.; Dioses-Salinas D.C.; Fernández Severini M.D.; Forero López A.D.; Dobaradaran S.; Aragaw T.A. · Microplastics Analysis and Characterization: Assessing Environmental Impact (2026) · DOI: 10.1002/9781119906612.ch03

Resumen

When released, plastics are synthetic pollutants that remain in the environment for hundreds of years. Most plastic debris is found as very small pieces. Some plastics are intentionally manufactured in micro-sized form for specific applications. However, the majority derives from the breakdown of larger plastics, resulting in smaller debris, such as microplastics (1-5, 000 µm) and nanoplastics (<1 µm). The processes that govern plastic fragmentation are multiple and complex. Aiming to answer the question “How are microplastics generated?" in the present chapter, the physicochemical degradation and fragmentation processes that plastic debris exhibit are summarized, as well as the new developments in understanding plastic fragmentation in the environment and under simulated experimental conditions. Future studies must address the issue of small plastic fragmentation based on field studies.

Instituciones: Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola