Polyester fibres slowly degrade in marine sediments

Microplastics are everywhere, including marine sediment. In this study, we evaluated the degradation of polyester, rayon, and cotton sewing threads over nine months when buried in marine sediment in Waitematā Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand. Polyester tensile strength was tested pre- and post-burial to track changes over time. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis enabled the examination of the change to the chemical structural integrity of the polyester molecules over time. After one month, rayon and cotton degraded and were invisible to the eye, while visible signs of polyester degradation were apparent after 6 months of burial. This was confirmed by both tensile strength testing and FTIR chemical analysis. While microplastic pollution remains a serious problem, these findings show that at least one type of common plastic does degrade when buried in marine sediments. This likely has implications for seafloor ecosystem functionality and provides hope for plastic circular economy infrastructure.