Biofouling on buoyant marine plastics: An experimental study into the effect of size on surface longevity

Recent estimates suggest that roughly 100 times more plastic litter enters the sea than is found floating at the sea surface, despite the buoyancy and durability of many plastic polymers. Biofouling by marine biota is one possible mechanism responsible for this discrepancy. Microplastics (

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental pollution (1987) 2016-03, Vol.210, p.354-360
Main Authors: Fazey, Francesca M.C., Ryan, Peter G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bays
Biofouling
Buoyancy
Fragment size
Marine plastic debris
Microplastics
Plastics - analysis
South Africa
Surface Properties
Waste Products - analysis
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Description
Summary:Recent estimates suggest that roughly 100 times more plastic litter enters the sea than is found floating at the sea surface, despite the buoyancy and durability of many plastic polymers. Biofouling by marine biota is one possible mechanism responsible for this discrepancy. Microplastics (
ISSN:0269-7491
1873-6424
DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2016.01.026