The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere)
The constantly growing amount of synthetic materials < 5 mm, called microplastics (MPs), is fragmented in the environment. Thus, their surface, Plastisphere, is substantially increasing forming an entirely new ecological niche. It has already been extensively studied by microbiologists observing...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-07-01
|
| Series: | Polymers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/14/2255 |
| _version_ | 1797526334718607360 |
|---|---|
| author | Agnieszka Dąbrowska Marianna Gniadek Piotr Machowski |
| author_facet | Agnieszka Dąbrowska Marianna Gniadek Piotr Machowski |
| author_sort | Agnieszka Dąbrowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The constantly growing amount of synthetic materials < 5 mm, called microplastics (MPs), is fragmented in the environment. Thus, their surface, Plastisphere, is substantially increasing forming an entirely new ecological niche. It has already been extensively studied by microbiologists observing the biofilm and by material scientists interested in the weathering of polymer materials. This paper aims to construct a bridge between the physical and chemical description of the Plastisphere and its microbiological and ecological significance. Various algorithms, based on the analysis of pictures obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), are proposed to describe in detail the morphology of naturally weathered polymers. In particular, one can study the size and distribution of fibres in a standard filter, search the synthetic debris for mapping, estimate the grain size distribution, quantitatively characterize the different patterns of degradation for polymer spheres and ghost nets, or calculate the number of pores per surface. The description and visualization of a texture, as well as the classification of different morphologies present on a surface, are indispensable for the comprehensive characterization of weathered polymers found inside animals (e.g., fishes). All these approaches are presented as case studies and discussed within this work. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:27:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0cfb0987e7e4ca3a2991f5af1e61e3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:27:46Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0cfb0987e7e4ca3a2991f5af1e61e3c2023-11-22T04:45:30ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602021-07-011314225510.3390/polym13142255The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere)Agnieszka Dąbrowska0Marianna Gniadek1Piotr Machowski2Laboratory of Spectroscopy and Intermolecular Interactions, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 1 Pasteura str., 02-093 Warsaw, PolandLaboratory of Theory and Applications of Electrodes, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 1 Pasteura str., 02-093 Warsaw, PolandHorus Sp. z.o.o., 22/8B Bukowińska St., 02-703 Warsaw, PolandThe constantly growing amount of synthetic materials < 5 mm, called microplastics (MPs), is fragmented in the environment. Thus, their surface, Plastisphere, is substantially increasing forming an entirely new ecological niche. It has already been extensively studied by microbiologists observing the biofilm and by material scientists interested in the weathering of polymer materials. This paper aims to construct a bridge between the physical and chemical description of the Plastisphere and its microbiological and ecological significance. Various algorithms, based on the analysis of pictures obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), are proposed to describe in detail the morphology of naturally weathered polymers. In particular, one can study the size and distribution of fibres in a standard filter, search the synthetic debris for mapping, estimate the grain size distribution, quantitatively characterize the different patterns of degradation for polymer spheres and ghost nets, or calculate the number of pores per surface. The description and visualization of a texture, as well as the classification of different morphologies present on a surface, are indispensable for the comprehensive characterization of weathered polymers found inside animals (e.g., fishes). All these approaches are presented as case studies and discussed within this work.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/14/2255microplasticsPlastisphereroughnessquantitative characterization of structuresnumerical descriptionSEM imaging |
| spellingShingle | Agnieszka Dąbrowska Marianna Gniadek Piotr Machowski The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere) Polymers microplastics Plastisphere roughness quantitative characterization of structures numerical description SEM imaging |
| title | The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere) |
| title_full | The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere) |
| title_fullStr | The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere) |
| title_short | The Proposal and Necessity of the Numerical Description of Nano- and Microplastics’ Surfaces (Plastisphere) |
| title_sort | proposal and necessity of the numerical description of nano and microplastics surfaces plastisphere |
| topic | microplastics Plastisphere roughness quantitative characterization of structures numerical description SEM imaging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/14/2255 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT agnieszkadabrowska theproposalandnecessityofthenumericaldescriptionofnanoandmicroplasticssurfacesplastisphere AT mariannagniadek theproposalandnecessityofthenumericaldescriptionofnanoandmicroplasticssurfacesplastisphere AT piotrmachowski theproposalandnecessityofthenumericaldescriptionofnanoandmicroplasticssurfacesplastisphere AT agnieszkadabrowska proposalandnecessityofthenumericaldescriptionofnanoandmicroplasticssurfacesplastisphere AT mariannagniadek proposalandnecessityofthenumericaldescriptionofnanoandmicroplasticssurfacesplastisphere AT piotrmachowski proposalandnecessityofthenumericaldescriptionofnanoandmicroplasticssurfacesplastisphere |