研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，樂高玩具可以在海洋中存活長達1300年

研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，樂高玩具可以在海洋中存活長達1300年

The popular plastic toy may leave a much longer-lasting impression on Earth than in the memories of children around the world. According to new research, LEGOs have the potential to last in the ocean for more than a millennium.

這個流行的塑料玩具可能會在地球上留下比世界各地兒童記憶更持久的印象。根據(jù)最新的研究，樂高有可能在海洋中存在超過一千年。

It is estimated that around 440 billion LEGO parts and pieces have been manufactured since the Danish company started production in 1949. Nearly 30 years ago, a container carrying the small plastic pieces slipped into the sea, dumping millions of LEGO pieces that continue to wash up on the beaches of South West England.

據(jù)估計，自從這家丹麥公司1949年開始生產以來，已經生產了大約4400億個樂高零部件。大約30年前，一個裝著小塑料碎片的集裝箱滑入大海，傾倒了數(shù)百萬塊樂高積木，這些積木繼續(xù)被沖到英格蘭西南部的海灘上。

Madison Dapcevich

To determine how long the toys might last in the marine environment, researchers from the University of Plymouth focused their analysis of 50 weathered LEGO pieces made from a common polymer known as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Each part was collected by local organizations along the beaches of South West England and identified using their “distinct studs and tubes and, in many cases, specific design numbers within the interior structure.”

為了確定這些玩具在海洋環(huán)境中可以使用多久，普利茅斯大學的研究人員集中分析了50塊風化的樂高積木，這些積木是由一種叫做丙烯腈丁二烯苯乙烯(ABS)的普通聚合物制成的。每個部分都由英格蘭西南部海灘的當?shù)亟M織收集，并使用“獨特的螺柱和管道，在許多情況下，室內結構的具體設計編號”來識別。

Although plastic in the ocean is “persistent”, the authors write in the journal Environmental Pollution that it will still go through photo-oxidative degradation and physical stress when exposed to the elements, such as discoloring and a loss of mass. Each LEGO was washed, weighed, measured, and compared with similar blocks that had not been exposed to the elements. Researchers then used an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer to confirm the age of each piece based on its chemical makeup.

盡管海洋中的塑料是“持久性的”，但作者在《環(huán)境污染》雜志上寫道，當暴露于各種元素(如變色和質量損失)時，塑料仍將經歷光氧化降解和物理應激。每塊樂高都經過了清洗、稱重、測量，并與未暴露在自然環(huán)境中的類似積木進行了比較。然后，研究人員利用x射線熒光(XRF)光譜儀根據(jù)每件文物的化學組成來確定它們的年齡。

Based on these measurements, the researchers deduce that an individual LEGO block may linger in the environment anywhere from 100 to 1,300 years. Older LEGOs had visible wear on them and exhibited lesser structural strength and weight as well as evidence of fracturing and a reduced average stud height.

根據(jù)這些測量數(shù)據(jù)，研究人員推斷，一個樂高積木可能在環(huán)境中存在100到1300年。舊的樂高積木明顯磨損，結構強度和重量較低，也有斷裂和平均螺柱高度降低的跡象。

"The pieces we tested had smoothed and discolored, with some of the structures having fractured and fragmented, suggesting that as well as pieces remaining intact, they might also break down into microplastics. It once again emphasizes the importance of people disposing of used items properly to ensure they do not pose potential problems for the environment,” said Dr Andrew Turner, associate professor (reader) in Environmental Sciences, in a statement.

“我們測試的碎片已經變得光滑和變色，其中一些結構已經斷裂和破碎，這表明，除了完好無損的碎片外，它們也可能會分解成微塑料。”它再次強調了人們妥善處理使用過的物品的重要性，以確保它們不會對環(huán)境造成潛在的問題，”環(huán)境科學副教授(讀者)安德魯·特納博士在一份聲明中說。

Researchers determined that the collected LEGOs were an average of 40 years old and exhibited varying degrees of wear. Andrew Turner/University of Plymouth

A comparison with other LEGOs suggests that the average oceanic toy was around 40 years old. In theory, the blocks are denser than coastal seawater and should sink, but it appears that this plastic is beached under certain tidal and meteorological conditions like getting stuck in kelp or washed up after strong onshore winds and large swell. Because plastic is still so new to the world, the authors add that it is difficult to determine the long-term effects of plastic in the environment and how long it may last in the world’s oceans.

與其他樂高玩具的對比表明，海洋公司的玩具平均有40年的歷史。理論上，這些塑料塊比沿海海水密度更大，應該會下沉，但在一定的潮汐和氣象條件下，比如被海帶纏住，或者在強勁的岸風和大浪之后被沖上岸，這些塑料塊似乎是在某種潮汐和氣象條件下擱淺的。由于塑料在世界上還是一個新事物，作者補充說，很難確定塑料對環(huán)境的長期影響以及它在海洋中可以持續(xù)多久。

"LEGO is one of the most popular children's toys in history and part of its appeal has always been its durability. It is specifically designed to be played with and handled, so it may not be especially surprising that despite potentially being in the sea for decades it isn't significantly worn down. However, the full extent of its durability was even a surprise to us,” said Turner.

“樂高是歷史上最受歡迎的兒童玩具之一，它的吸引力之一就是它的耐用性。它是專門設計來玩和處理的，所以可能不會特別奇怪，盡管它可能在海里幾十年，沒有顯著磨損。然而，其耐久性的全面程度甚至讓我們感到驚訝，”特納說。