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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Untangling microfibres: Pervasive plastic pollution in submarine canyons
ClearThe combined role of near-bed currents and sub-seafloor processes in the transport and pervasive burial of microplastics in submarine canyons
Researchers studied how near-bed currents and sub-seafloor processes interact in submarine canyons to transport microplastics to deep-sea sediments, finding that canyon systems record temporal trends in plastic pollution but that physical disturbance can obscure or rework the depositional signal.
Large volumes of microplastics are transported to the deep sea by turbidity currents
Researchers provided the first direct field-scale evidence that turbidity currents in submarine canyons transport large volumes of microplastics including microfibers into the deep sea, demonstrating this mechanism as a major pathway delivering anthropogenic particles to deep seafloor environments.
Microplastic transport, deposition and burial in seafloor sediments by turbidity currents
This conference abstract describes how turbidity currents — underwater avalanches of sediment-laden water — can transport microplastics from submarine canyon heads to deep seafloor basins, creating localized hotspots of plastic accumulation. This mechanism may explain why deep-sea sediments contain some of the highest microplastic concentrations measured anywhere on Earth.
Transport and accumulation of plastic litter in submarine canyons—The role of gravity flows
Manned submersible dives in a submarine canyon in the northwestern South China Sea found plastic litter accumulations concentrated in scoured zones roughly 150 km from the nearest coast. Gravity-driven sediment flows and bottom currents were identified as the main mechanisms transporting plastic debris to deep-sea canyon floors.
Direct Evidence That Microplastics Are Transported to the Deep Sea by Turbidity Currents
Researchers provided the first direct field evidence that underwater sediment avalanches, called turbidity currents, transport microplastics from shallow waters into the deep sea through submarine canyons. By monitoring water flow and sampling the seafloor, they confirmed that these natural events carry significant quantities of microfibers and plastic fragments to deep ocean environments. The discovery helps explain how microplastic pollution reaches even the most remote parts of the ocean floor.
Microplastics in turbidity currents: transport and sedimentation
Researchers investigated the transport and sedimentation behavior of microplastics within turbidity currents, examining how these high-density submarine sediment gravity flows carry MP particles from continental shelves to deep-sea environments and what controls where MPs ultimately deposit.
Distribution of microplastics in bathyal- to hadal-depth sediments and transport process along the deep-sea canyon and the Kuroshio Extension in the Northwest Pacific
Researchers mapped microplastic distribution from shallow to ultra-deep ocean sediments in the Northwest Pacific, including Sagami Bay and areas beneath the Kuroshio Extension current. The study found the highest microplastic concentrations in abyssal stations and suggests two distinct transport pathways: land-sourced microplastics move to hadal depths via turbidity currents along submarine canyons, while ocean-surface microplastics sink directly to the abyssal plains below.
Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments
Researchers analyzed deep-sea sediment cores and found microplastics present at depth, providing early evidence that deep-sea sediments globally accumulate microplastic pollution far from coastlines and at the seafloor.
Dispersion, accumulation and the ultimate fate of microplastics in deep-marine environments: A review and future directions
This review synthesized existing knowledge on microplastic distribution in deep-marine environments, integrating process-based sedimentological transport models with field data to outline how microplastics disperse, accumulate, and become buried in seafloor sediments, and identifying key gaps for future research.
Plastic pollution in deep seafloor of the South China Sea
Researchers documented the abundance, distribution, and transport of plastics in the South China Sea using over 100 manned submersible dives combined with video analysis, finding that large plastics concentrate in canyon geomorphological units while microplastics predominate in coastal sediments via distinct transport mechanisms.
Microplastic accumulation in deep-sea sediments from the Rockall Trough
Microplastics were found throughout sediment cores from over 2,000 meters depth in the North Atlantic's Rockall Trough, with concentrations decreasing with sediment age but extending well below the depth predicted by recent plastic production history, suggesting physical redistribution into older sediment layers. Microplastic abundance correlated with sediment porosity, indicating that pore water transport moves particles vertically after deposition.
Plastics from Surfaceto Seabed: Vertical Distributionof (Micro)plastic Particles in the North Pacific Ocean
Researchers investigated the vertical distribution of microplastics from surface waters to deep-sea sediments (>5 km) in the North Pacific Ocean, documenting concentrations of 8-2600 items/m3 in the water column and 1100-3200 items/kg in sediments across the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, Papahanaumokuakea Monument, and a less-polluted reference site.
Turbidity currents regulate the transport and settling of microplastics in a deep-sea submarine canyon
Researchers used sediment trap observations in Gaoping Canyon offshore Taiwan to study how turbidity currents transport and deposit microplastics in the deep sea. They found that turbidity current events significantly increased both microplastic abundance and settling flux, demonstrating that these underwater flows act as major conduits for moving plastic pollution into deep ocean environments. The study provides direct evidence that submarine canyons accumulate high microplastic concentrations partly because of the frequent turbidity currents that channel particles from shallow to deep waters.
The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column
Remotely operated vehicles and custom samplers were used to collect microplastics from depths of 5–1000 m in Monterey Bay, finding that microplastic concentrations in mesopelagic waters (200–600 m depth) were comparable to or higher than surface concentrations. The study demonstrates that the deep ocean is not merely a sink but an active reservoir of microplastics vertically transported by biological organisms.
A large-scale study of microplastic abundance in sediment cores from the UK continental shelf and slope
Microplastic abundance was surveyed in sediment cores from three areas of the UK continental shelf, establishing a baseline pollution profile across contrasting coastal environments. Concentrations varied considerably by location and depth, with the data providing a foundation for future risk assessments of seafloor contamination.
Sedimentary Characteristics of Microplastics Transported by Turbidity Currents in a Straight Canyon Topography
Physical model experiments revealed that ocean turbidity currents — sediment-laden underwater flows — transport and deposit microplastics in predictable patterns within submarine canyons, with higher-concentration flows retaining more particles and depositing them preferentially in wave-shaped seafloor areas. This understanding helps predict where microplastics accumulate in the deep sea, which matters for assessing long-term ecological impacts in some of the ocean's most remote and poorly studied habitats.
Diving into the Depths: Uncovering Microplastics in Norwegian Coastal Sediment Cores
Researchers analyzed microplastic vertical distribution in sediment cores from five sites along the Norwegian coast extending to Arctic waters, filling a gap in high-resolution depth profile data for European and Arctic sediments. Microplastics were found throughout core depths with concentrations generally increasing toward the surface in patterns reflecting historical plastic production growth.
The role of oceanographic processes and sedimentological settings on the deposition of microplastics in marine sediment: Icelandic waters
Researchers analyzed microplastics from marine sediment cores collected at eight sites on the Iceland continental shelf, examining how oceanographic processes and sedimentological settings influence the deposition and distribution of microplastic debris on the seafloor.
Plastics from Surface to Seabed: Vertical Distribution of (Micro)plastic Particles in the North Pacific Ocean
Researchers investigated the vertical distribution of microplastics across the water column and deep-sea sediments (>5 km) in the North Pacific Ocean, finding concentrations of 8-2600 items/m3 in the water column and 1100-3200 items/kg in sediments, with distinct patterns across the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, Papahanaumokuakea Monument, and a less-polluted open ocean site.
The stratigraphic evolution of a submarine channel: linking seafloor dynamics to depositional products
This study reconstructed the stratigraphic evolution of a submarine channel from seafloor observations and outcrop analysis, linking observable seafloor geomorphology to the preserved sedimentary record. This geology paper focused on deep-sea sediment transport is not directly related to microplastic research.
Drivers of microplastic accumulation in a densely canyoned continental margin: Insights from blackmouth catsharks (Galeus melastomus)
Researchers analyzed microplastic ingestion in blackmouth catsharks from the deep Mediterranean Sea and found that over 80% of the sharks had consumed microplastics. The particles were mainly polyester and cellophane fibers, and ingestion rates were linked to proximity to submarine canyons that channel pollution from land. The study demonstrates that deep-sea predators in canyon-rich coastal areas are particularly exposed to microplastic contamination.
Distributions of microplastics and larger anthropogenic debris in Norfolk Canyon, Baltimore Canyon, and the adjacent continental slope (Western North Atlantic Margin, U.S.A.)
Researchers documented microplastics and larger anthropogenic debris in sediment cores and ROV samples from Norfolk Canyon and Baltimore Canyon on the U.S. Atlantic continental slope, finding debris accumulated at depth likely through turbidity currents and downslope transport.
Prevalence of microplastics and anthropogenic debris within a deep-sea food web
Researchers documented microplastic prevalence across 17 genera spanning approximately five trophic levels in the Monterey Bay submarine canyon food web, finding evidence of trophic transfer of microplastics through the deep-sea ecosystem and higher contamination in organisms from mid-water and benthic habitats.
Transport and Fluxes of Microplastics to Deep-Sea Sediments via Turbidity Currents through the Congo Canyon
Researchers directly measured microplastics transported by turbidity currents through the Congo Canyon using real-time monitoring instrumentation, providing the first empirical dataset on how these submarine sediment flows — among the longest and most powerful on Earth — deliver terrestrial microplastics to deep-sea sediments.