Systematic Review
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AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button.
Tier 1
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Systematic review or meta-analysis. Synthesizes findings across many studies. Strongest evidence.
Environmental Sources
Marine & Wildlife
Policy & Risk
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Plastics in the deep sea – a global estimate of the ocean floor reservoir
2023
12 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 50
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Xia Zhu,
Xia Zhu,
Xia Zhu,
Xia Zhu,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Xia Zhu,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Xia Zhu,
Chris Wilcox
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Britta Denise Hardesty,
Chelsea M. Rochman,
Chris Wilcox
Summary
This systematic review estimates the total amount of plastic pollution resting on the deep ocean floor worldwide. The research reveals that the deep sea serves as a massive reservoir for plastic waste, which is concerning because as these plastics break down into microplastics over time, they can be consumed by deep-sea organisms and re-enter the food chain.
Study Type
Review
The exponential increase in plastic production coupled with variable global waste management system efficiencies has resulted in large amounts of plastic waste entering the ocean every year. Although we know millions of tonnes of plastic have entered the oceans, we do not yet understand the patterns of its accumulation across space nor the drivers of these patterns. The deep ocean is expected to be a resting place, or reservoir, for plastic pollution. Here, we conducted a rigorous, systematic review of previously published datasets to synthesize our understanding of macroplastic pollution (> 5 mm) on the ocean floor. Using extracted data, we built predictive additive models to estimate the amount and distribution of plastic on the ocean floor. We built two models: one using data from remote operated vehicles (ROVs) and another using data from bottom trawls. Using the model built with ROV data, which was better-constrained, we estimate that 3 to 11 million metric tonnes (MMT) of plastic pollution resides on the ocean floor as of 2020. This is of similar magnitude to annual inputs from land and one to two orders of magnitude greater than what is predicted to be floating on the ocean surface. To improve future estimates and our understanding of global patterns, we provide recommendations for ocean floor monitoring of plastic pollution.