Microplastics are broken down into size and primary vs. secondary particles, which describes how they are formed.
Size
There are various sizes of microplastics. Nanoplastics are particles that are less than 0.33 mm. Microplastics are classified as particles that are between 0.33- 5mm.
Primary vs. Secondary Microplastics
Primary microplastics are tiny particles used in things such as clothing, textiles and fishing gear which are released directly into the ocean.
Secondary microplastics are particles that come from the breakdown of larger plastics such as water bottles. The breakdown of plastic in the ocean is caused by environmental factors such as sunlight radiation and wave energy.
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