In the environment, plastic litter is exposed to weathering forces, both abiotic and biotic, affecting polymer degradation, transfer in the food web, and, ultimately, its environmental fate. In the water column, the downward flux of plastic debris is primarily driven by the aggregation with microorganisms and other particulates, the so-called marine snow. To predict microplastic occurrence, we study ecological forces, such as phytoplankton blooms and biofilm activity, behind aggregation and degradation of plastic debris.
