88th Kan-nichi Seminar
Date: 18 January, 2024
Time: 13:30-15:00
Venue:G15 meeting room, G1 floor, Natural Science and Technology Library, Kakuma Campus, Kanazawa University / Online Zoom

*If you want to join the seminar, please send an e-mail to pattykiku@staff.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.

 

< The degradation state of plastics found in the Japan Sea environment>

Edward Gou Nagato (Shimane University, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science)

Abstract: Plastics are like most other pollutants; they will change once released into the environment. While surface oxidation is one such aspect of this change, crystallization is another aspect that is understudied. The Sea of Japan coastline is an area where pollutants accumulate, often coming from other countries as they are carried in from the Kuroshio current. In this talk, I will discuss how we have observed plastics to have changed in the environment, with a particular emphasis on the crystallization of the polymer and how this crystallization leads to microplastic formation.