Discovery of the Marine Biodegradability of Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6 Copolymer Fishing Lines

Microplastics in the marine environment have emerged as a pressing global issue. Fishing lines pose a particularly formidable challenge, as their resistance to biodegradation in seawater has led to significant harm to marine turtles, seabirds, and fish. Furthermore, polymers that have been engineered for marine biodegradability, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates, show inadequate mechanical strength for widespread application in fishing lines. In this study, we report the unexpected discovery that certain commercially available nylon materials, nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 copolymers, previously believed to be non-biodegradable, can in fact undergo biodegradation in marine conditions. Our findings offer a promising solution to the environmental concerns associated with fishing lines and may have broader applications (e.g. fishing nets). This discovery represents a breakthrough in the development of marine-biodegradable polymers that successfully balance durability, strength, toughness, cost, and mass-productivity with environmental degradability.