# Effect of Copper Antifouling Paint on Marine Degradation of Polypropylene: Uneven Distribution of Microdebris between Nagasaki Port and Goto Island, Japan

## TL;DR

This study examines how copper-based antifouling paint affects the marine degradation of polypropylene, finding that it accelerates microplastic breakdown.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a novel method using sulfate ion radicals to study the degradation of polypropylene in seawater.

## Key findings

- Copper-based paint particles (type C) were found to accelerate the degradation of polypropylene in seawater.
- Copper soap compounds formed in seawater contribute to the degradation process.
- The degradation was confirmed through changes in the number of polypropylene chain scissions.

## Abstract

Microplastics (MP) encompass not only plastic products but also paint particles. Marine microdebris, including MP, was retrieved from five sampling stations spanning Nagasaki-Goto island and was classified into six types, primarily consisting of MP (A), Si-based (B), and Cu-based (C) paint particles. Type-A particles, i.e., MP, were exceedingly small, with 74% of them having a long diameter of 25 µm or less. The vertical distribution of type C, containing cuprous oxide, exhibited no depth dependence, with its dominant size being less than 7 μm. It was considered that the presence of type C was associated with a natural phenomenon of MP loss. To clarify this, polypropylene (PP) samples containing cuprous oxide were prepared, and their accelerated degradation behavior was studied using a novel enhanced degradation method employing a sulfate ion radical as an initiator. Infrared spectroscopy revealed the formation of a copper soap compound in seawater. Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis indicated that the chemical reactions between Cl− and cuprous oxide produced Cu+ ions. The acceleration of degradation induced by the copper soap formed was studied through the changes in the number of PP chain scissions, revealing that the presence of type-C accelerated MP degradation.