title: Regional distribution of styrene analogues generated from polystyrene degradation along the coastlines of the North-East Pacific Ocean and Hawaii.
abstract: Beach sand and seawater taken from the coastlines of the North-East Pacific Ocean and Hawaii State were investigated to determine the causes of global chemical contamination from polystyrene (PS). All samples were found to contain styrene monomer (SM), styrene dimers (SD), and styrene trimers (ST) with a concentration distribution of styrene analogues in the order of ST > SD > SM. The contamination by styrene analogues along the West Coast proved more severe than in Alaska and other regions. The Western Coastlines of the USA seem be affected by both land- and ocean-based pollution sources, which might result from it being a heavily populated area as the data suggest a possible proportional relationship between PS pollution and population. Our results suggest the presence of new global chemical contaminants derived from PS in the ocean, and along coasts.
authors.affiliation: Gyeongnam Department of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Korea Institute of Toxicology (KIT), 17 Jeigok-gil, Munsan-eup, Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do 660-844, Republic of Korea; Department of Environment and Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kwonbg0@daum.net.
authors.forename: Bum Gun
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa Stikuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saido
authors.affiliation: College of Science & Technology, Nihon University, 7-24-1, Narashinodai, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Koshiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.affiliation: College of Science & Technology, Nihon University, 7-24-1, Narashinodai, Funabashi-shi, Chiba 274-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Shizuoka University, 836, Ohya, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka-ken 422-8529, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment and Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seon-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Toyama Prefecture University, 5180 Kurokawa, Imizu-shi, Toyama 939-0398, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusui
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa Stikuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.affiliation: Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8564, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kogure
mesh_terms: D000413:Alaska; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006254:Hawaii; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D020058:Styrene / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011137:Polystyrenes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D020058:Styrene
keywords: Global ocean pollution; Plastics; Polystyrene; Styrene analogues; Styrene oligomers