Environmental Plastics Research Complex (EPReC) in In2FS will hold the 2nd Environmental Plastic Seminar on October 22, 2025.
EPReC aims to facilitate the exchange of information on research related to plastics dispersed in the environment, primarily targeting researchers and students both within and outside the university. We welcome participants from diverse fields, not only those studying plastics in soil, rivers, and oceans, but also those engaged in areas such as plastic waste management and bioplastic production. In addition to approaches from earth sciences, polymer science, and environmental toxicology, we also encourage the participation of researchers interested in environmental issues from a social science perspective. Of course, anyone who is simply curious or would just like to listen is also warmly welcome. Please feel free to join us.
– Program –
15：00～16：30
Speaker: Dr. Won Joon Shim (Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea)
Title: Generation of Microplastics from Marine Based Sources
Summary:
Global concern over marine plastic pollution has grown rapidly since the presence and increasing abundance of microscopic plastic particles in the ocean were first documented in the early 2000s. While the fragmentation of large plastic items into nano- and microplastics increases the abundance of plastic litter, their weathering and fragmentation rates remain largely unaddressed. In particular, knowledge and data regarding microplastic generation from marine-based sources—such as plastic debris on beaches, ships, and active and derelict fishing gear—have been very scarce.
At the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, we have actively studied the fragmentation mechanisms and quantitative assessment of secondary microplastic (MP) and/or nanoplastic (NP) generation. The changes in surface characteristics of six thermoplastics (HDPE, PP, PS, PET, PA, and PLA) after photooxidation in air or water were evaluated. We used a xenon-arc lamp with a daylight filter to simulate natural sunlight, enabling a direct comparison among the polymer types under identical weathering conditions. We then quantified the generated NPs and MPs and calculated their generation rates (particles/cm2·year). In addition, we characterized and quantitatively determined microplastics generated by ship paints during maintenance processes like hydro-blasting. We also evaluated microplastic contamination in ship’s greywater, which is discharged directly into the ocean, across different ship types. Furthermore, we conducted a laboratory simulation to measure microplastic generation from the friction between PP or PE ropes and ship’s gear during deployment and retrieval. Finally, the emission factors were derived from these marine-based sources to estimate microplastic emissions to the marine environment on both national and global scales. The NP and MP generation and emission rates obtained from marine-based sources could partially fill the data gap in the global microplastic emission inventory and provide a crucial basis for developing effective policies to manage plastic pollution.
16：30～17：00
Free discussion
