We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Influence of Sediment Mixing Induced by the Gallery-Diffusor Hediste diversicolor on the Burial of Different Microplastic Particles: A Comparative Tracer Study
AI summary Read the abstract
Common marine worms that burrow through seafloor sediment can drag microplastic particles as deep as 5.5 inches underground, burying them at similar rates regardless of the plastic's size or density. This matters because it shows how microplastics may become long-term "locked away" in ocean sediments rather than staying near the surface where they're more likely to be eaten by fish and other seafood we consume, though more research is needed to know whether burial ultimately reduces or simply delays human exposure through the food chain.
Although marine sediments are recognized as a sink for marine microplastic particles, investigations into the fate of once deposited particles have received relatively little interest so far. Through interactions with sediment-dwelling organisms, these particles are subject to potential burial in the wake of bioturbation. In this study, we analyzed the effect of sediment reworking by the polychaete Hediste diversicolor O.F. Müller, 1776, using different particle tracers—luminophores, polyethylene (PE), and polyamide (PA). Transport induced by H. diversicolor was observed to extend to sediment depths up to 14 cm with similar biodiffusive and advective transport rates for all tracer types. Local transport (Db) was 1.09 cm2 yr−1 for luminophores; microplastics showed slightly lower local transport with Db of 0.81 cm2 yr−1 (PA) and 0.57 cm2 yr−1 (PE). Non-local transport (r) was comparably low for all particle types, ranging from 0.69 yr−1 for luminophores and 0.95 yr−1 (PA) and 1.27 yr−1 (PE) for microplastics. Food addition did not significantly increase bioturbation activity of H. diversicolor. Despite differences in size and density, the particle tracer types in this study showed no significant differences in modeled bioturbation coefficients or burial depth, emphasizing that bioturbation of microplastics is not governed by particle properties alone but also by the functional ecology of the bioturbator.
More Papers Like This
The role of bioturbation in microplastic burial in marine sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that burrowing marine worms significantly affect microplastic redistribution in sediments, with one polychaete species transporting larger plastic particles to depths of 20 cm through feeding activity — demonstrating that bioturbation plays an important role in burying microplastics in the seafloor.
Size-selective feeding of Arenicola marina promotes long-term burial of microplastic particles in marine sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used mesocosm experiments to show that the bioturbating marine worm Arenicola marina actively transports and buries microplastics up to 20 cm deep in sediment, with high bioturbation rates causing size-selective retention of particles ≥500 micrometers in deep feeding layers, making benthic fauna a significant driver of long-term microplastic burial.
Changes in particle mixing by benthic infauna induced by microplastics: implications for nitrogen cycling in marine sediments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that increasing polypropylene microplastic concentrations impaired deep-burrowing behaviour of the marine worm Macroclymenella stewartensis but not the bivalve Macomona liliana, with microplastics also modifying interspecific relationships and thereby disrupting particle mixing and nutrient cycling processes in marine sediments.
Microplastic transport in soil by earthworms
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers demonstrated that earthworms can transport microplastic particles from the soil surface deeper into the ground, with smaller particles being moved to greater depths. Using the common earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in greenhouse experiments, they showed that worm activity significantly increased the presence of microplastics in lower soil layers. The findings suggest that earthworms play an important role in burying microplastics in soil, potentially affecting other soil organisms and groundwater.
Macrofauna bioturbation promotes seabed burial of microplastics: a laboratory study
AI summary Read the abstract
This laboratory study found that burrowing invertebrates such as polychaete worms and bivalves living in seafloor sediments can actively move microplastics deeper into the sediment through their feeding and burrowing activities. Animal-driven burial of microplastics in marine sediments could reduce their immediate ecological impact on surface communities but increases their long-term residence in the environment.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.