Programa de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Atlántico, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia.
Department of Geology, Grand Valley State University, The Seymour K. & Esther R. Padnos Hall of Science 213A, Allendale, MI, USA.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Oct 1;893:164867. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164867. Epub 2023 Jun 16.
The Anthropocene, the most recent geologic time division, marks humanity's profound impact on Earth. Amidst debates, the Anthropocene Working Group recommended its inclusion in the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (ICC). This period is characterized by the mid-20th century Great Acceleration Event Array (GAEA), which includes widespread presence of pollutants such as radionuclides, organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, and plastic production. The Anthropocene concept should raise public awareness of these threats, with plastic pollution being a primary concern. Plastics are now pervasive and serve as a marker for the Anthropocene Epoch or Age. Understanding their entry into the geological record requires considering the "Plastic Geological Cycle," which encompasses extraction, production, use, disposal, degradation, fragmentation, accumulation, and lithification. This cycle reveals the transformation of plastics into new forms of pollution characteristic of the Anthropocene. With 91 % of discarded plastics never recycled, they accumulate in the environment and enter the geological record through processes like photodegradation, thermal stress, and biodegradation. The proposed Plasticene stage within the Anthropocene is defined by the post-World War II surge in plastic production and their incorporation into sedimentary processes and rocks. The study of plastics in the geologic record serves as a warning of their negative impacts and highlights the urgency of addressing plastic pollution for a sustainable future.
人类世是最近的地质时间划分，标志着人类对地球的深刻影响。在争论中，人类世工作组建议将其纳入国际年代地层图表（ICC）。这个时期的特点是 20 世纪中叶的大加速事件阵列（GAEA），其中包括广泛存在的污染物，如放射性核素、有机氯农药、多氯联苯和塑料生产。人类世的概念应该提高公众对这些威胁的认识，其中塑料污染是主要关注点。塑料现在无处不在，是人类世或时代的标志。了解它们进入地质记录需要考虑“塑料地质循环”，其中包括提取、生产、使用、处置、降解、破碎、积累和石化。这个循环揭示了塑料转化为人类世特征的新形式的污染。由于 91%的废弃塑料从未回收，它们在环境中积累，并通过光降解、热应力和生物降解等过程进入地质记录。提议的人类世中的 Plasticene 阶段是由二战后塑料生产的激增以及它们在沉积过程和岩石中的纳入所定义的。对地质记录中塑料的研究提醒人们注意其负面影响，并强调解决塑料污染以实现可持续未来的紧迫性。
