Dear Spiral user, We’re pleased to introduce Helix, https://helix.imperial.ac.uk/ Imperial’s new repository for research datasets. Please use Helix for all future dataset deposits. There is no change to Spiral - continue depositing as usual. For queries, contact the Research Data Management team at rdm-enquiries@imperial.ac.uk. Kind regards, the Spiral Team. The Spiral team
Sedimentology of plastics: state of the art and future directions
File(s)
Author(s)
Hampson, Gary
Russell, Catherine
Kane, Ian A
Clare, Michael
Jackson, Matthew
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Plastic waste is now a ubiquitous sedimentary material, from the polar ice caps to the deep ocean. Determining the physical and chemical properties, transport pathways and accumulation sites of plastic particles is essential to characterize and mitigate the harmful effects of waste plastic on ecosystems and human health. This requires experimental, modelling and observational approaches across disciplines, including sedimentology, hydrology, chemistry, biology, materials science and many others. Plastic pollution is a deeply complex challenge, and this issue compiles how we may view solutions and understandings through a sedimentological lens. We cover a range of environments, from oceans to rivers and urban stormwater ponds, as well as global questions that consider plastic degradation amid climate change. In this preface, we outline key topics of the papers in this issue and the challenges and opportunities associated with each topic. The special issue illustrates the inherent value and strength of sedimentology as a tool to meaningfully advance our understanding of the transport, accumulation and degradation of plastic waste in the environment.

This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Sedimentology of plastics: state of the art and future directions’.
Date Issued
2025-10-23
Date Acceptance
2025-08-26
Citation
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2025, 383 (2307)
URI
URL
DOI
ISSN
1364-503X
Publisher
The Royal Society
Journal / Book Title
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Volume
383
Issue
2307
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
20230033
Date Publish Online
2025-10-23