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Anthropogenic debris accumulation in the Argentine deep sea: evidence of an irreversible sink
Summary
Scientists used an underwater robot to explore the deep seafloor off Argentina for the first time and found trash—mostly plastic, fishing ropes, and nets—scattered across the ocean bottom, with more litter collecting in underwater canyons. This matters because the deep sea acts like a permanent trash can: once debris sinks that deep, it likely stays there and slowly breaks down into microplastics, which can enter the marine food chain and eventually end up on our plates.
The seafloor is recognized as a major sink for marine debris, while deep-sea litter remains poorly investigated due to the logistical and economic constraints associated with seabed exploration. This study reports for the first time the occurrence of marine debris found on the Argentine deep seafloor using the SOI’s Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), providing the first documented evidence for this region. A total of 29 litter items were recorded across 55.6 km of surveyed seafloor. The highest debris abundance was recorded in submarine canyon areas (1.4 items/km), whereas the Malvinas Basin showed the lowest levels (0.1 items/km), likely associated with hydrodynamic conditions. In addition, plastic items, fishing ropes, and nets were the most frequently recorded types of debris. These findings establish a baseline of the current status of deep-sea marine debris and propose future directions for the region.