interpretation with at which

Question

Sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing it to smaller and smaller pieces, but that just makes matters worse. The plastic never goes away; it just becomes microscopic, at which point it can be eaten by tiny marine organisms and enter the food chain.

Q) In "at which point," does which refer to its(plastic's) becoming microscopic?

Blue Jay · Accepted Answer

Yes. It means then or at that time. The plastic never goes away; it just becomes microscopic, then it can be eaten by tiny marine organisms and enter the food chain.

Clive · Answer

Sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing them to smaller and smaller pieces, but that just makes matters worse

Moon7296 · Answer

"...the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing them...."

Wow.. I think that's a big discovery! That sentence is from the English textbook I use for my class! It's surprising that there's a mistake!

You put -s in polymers in red and I was wondering if you meant "them" refers to "polymers."

Isn't "the bonds in plastic polymers" more specific reference to "them?"

Clive · Answer

The word 'them' needs a preceding plural to refer to.
To me, it does not make sense to say that bonds are reduced to smaller and smaller pieces. What do you think 'them' refers to?

Moon7296 · Answer

I took a bond as a bigger concept than a polymer.
I think "them" refers to "the bonds in plastic polymers." In this case, I can imagine the bonds themselves are reduced into smaller ones, and not plastic polymers.
But I think it can also be a referent to just plastic polymers themselves because polymers can be reduced to smaller part.

What do you think?

Clive · Answer

Them has to refer to a plural word. That's why I added s to polymer.
I'd really have to see more of the context to be clear about the writer's meaning. As written, it is unclear to me.

Moon7296 · Answer

CliveThem has to refer to a plural word. That's why I added s to polymer.

Yeah.. actually. -s in polymer was already there.. and you corrected "it" to them in "...reduce it..." part.
Them has to refer to a plural word. "The bonds" is plural, then don't you think it can be refered by "them?"

Here's more context.

What is it made of?

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is like a galaxy of garbage, populated by billions of smaller trash islands that may be hidden underwater or spread out over many kilometers. Hile we do not know exactly how big the garbage patch is, we do know that most of it is made of plastic. This is where the problems begin. Unlike most other trash, plastic is not biodegradable. Sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing it to smaller and smaller pieces, but that just makes matters worse. The plastic never goes away; it just becomes microscopic, at which point it can be eaten by tiny marine organisms and enter the food chain.

Clive · Answer

It just didn't sound right to me to talk about reducing bonds to smaller pieces.

With more context, 'it' clearly is meant to refer to 'plastic'.

Unlike most other trash, plastic is not biodegradable. Sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing the plastic to smaller and smaller pieces, but that just makes matters worse. The plastic never goes away; the plastic just becomes microscopic, at which point the plastic can be eaten by tiny marine organisms and enter the food chain.

Moon7296 · Answer

Ah ha.. then there's no mistake considering the context, right?

Anyway, I think it's very unique that "it" refers to "plastic" in the previous sentence, and not the plural nouns in the same sentence.

Then this participial phrase in the sentence below shows a concurrent even or a cause and effect?

CliveSunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, reducing the plastic to smaller and smaller pieces,

In other words, does it mean this?;
1. "Because sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, it reduces the plastic to smaller and smaller pieces?"
2. "Sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, and it reduces the plastic to smaller and smaller pieces?"
3. "Sunlight does eventually "photodegrade" the bonds in plastic polymers, and at the same time, it reduces the plastic to smaller and smaller pieces?"

Clive · Answer

I take the meaning to be #1, but I don't really understand the science of the process.

___________

I think it's very unique that "it" refers to . . . I wouldn't call such writing unique at all. It's not hard to understand when you can see the whole context.

interpretation with at which

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