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First Evidence of Microplastics in the Deep-Sea Barnacle in the Indonesian Throughflow Region

Environmental Forensics 2025 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Muhammad Reza Cordova, Mochamad Riza Iskandar, Dewi Surinati, Adi Purwandana, Muhammad Taufik Kaisupy, Pipit Pitriana, Tri Arfianti, Singgih Prasetyo Adi Wibowo, Riyana Subandi, Yaya Ihya Ulumuddin, Triyoni Purbonegoro, Deny Yogaswara, Sofia Yuniar Sani, Rachma Puspitasari, Ricky Rositasari, Etty Riani, Shan Zheng, Xiaoxia Sun, Zheng Wang

Summary

Scientists found tiny plastic bits and fibers, likely from fishing gear, inside about one-third of deep-sea barnacles living 200 meters below the surface in Indonesian waters, showing that plastic pollution reaches even remote deep-sea creatures we rarely think about. Since barnacles are a food source for other marine animals (and some end up in the seafood we eat), this suggests microplastics are working their way through ocean food webs in ways scientists are still working to understand.

Microplastic pollution significantly threatens global marine ecosystems. Barnacles, important invertebrates that are critical to marine systems, may be more susceptible to microplastic pollution due to their stationary lifestyle. However, no studies have documented the presence of microplastics in deep-sea barnacles from the Indonesian Throughflow region. This study evaluates microplastic pollution in deep-sea barnacles at two mooring buoys located in the northern Maluku Sea and the southwestern Philippine Sea at a depth of 200 m. The following year of deployment, the barnacles were collected and analyzed for microplastic ingestion. The research indicated that nearly one-third of the deep-sea barnacles ingested microplastic particles and microscopic fibers, matching contamination levels found in surface and subsurface waters from a previous study in nearby areas. The identified microplastics are linked to sea activities and transboundary microplastics, likely from abandoned fishing gear, with nylon as the most prevalent polymer in the microfiber particles, followed by polyvinylidene fluoride and polyamide. This study emphasized the need for further research to understand the impact of microplastic ingestion on deep-sea barnacles and other organisms in these unique ecosystems, highlighting the importance of areas crucial for global ocean circulation.

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