Marine pollution due to drifting plastic and global warming due to carbon dioxide are problems with numerous points in common. For instance, both derive significantly from human life activities and may be expected to worsen without effective preventive.<br/>There are no published studies determining the source, kind, quantities of chemicals generated from debris polystyrene (PS) decomposition in the ocean. The present authors have conducted studies on 1,500 samples of sand and seawater taken from the coastlines surrounding Japan. Samples were clearly shown to contain the styrene oligomer (SO) derived from debris PS that is the actual cause of water and sand contamination. It is thus quite evident that, not only does debris macro-PS form micro-size potsherd on beaches but also that it decomposes into SO which is the raw material of PS which subsequently becomes disseminated throughout the ocean. 625kg of drifting PS in Japan coastal waters was found to generate 1,000,000kg SO in water. And 200 kg PS was decomposed or eluted of wash up 8,000 ~12,000 kg was supplied 320,000 kg SO in sand surround Japan, respectively. New chemical contamination by SO or other plastic decomposition products were found in this study to actually or quite like pose long-term risks to ocean eco systems.

World oceans under serious threat: Debris polystyrene in ocean water and sand areas surrounding Japan

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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