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The role of bioturbation in microplastic burial in marine sediments
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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.
In this study, the influence of activities carried out by benthic invertebrates on microplastic redistribution is investigated. Sediment reworking activity of two marine polychaetes (H. diversicolor; A.marina) representing different bioturbation types resulted in considerable differences in microplastic transport. Size-selective feeding activity of A. marina caused a long-term retention of larger microplastic particles in considerable sediment depths down to 20 cm, emphasizing the ability of certain bioturbation types to facilitate deep or fast particle transport.
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Macrofauna bioturbation promotes seabed burial of microplastics: a laboratory study
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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.
Size-selective feeding of Arenicola marina promotes long-term burial of microplastic particles in marine sediments
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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.
Microplastic transport in soil by earthworms
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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.
Benthic fauna contribute to microplastic sequestration in coastal sediments
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Researchers investigated how burrowing seafloor organisms contribute to the burial of microplastics in coastal sediments. They found that benthic fauna actively transport microplastics from the sediment surface to deeper layers through their burrowing and feeding activities. The study suggests that biological processes play a significant role in sequestering microplastics within marine sediments, which has implications for understanding the long-term fate of plastic pollution in the ocean.
Influence of Sediment Mixing Induced by the Gallery-Diffusor Hediste diversicolor on the Burial of Different Microplastic Particles: A Comparative Tracer Study
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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.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.