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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to First long-term evidence of microplastic pollution in the deep subtropical Northeast Atlantic
ClearDeep Sea Microplastic Pollution Extends Out to Sediments in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean Margins
Researchers surveyed deep-sea sediments across four areas of the Northeast Atlantic and detected microplastics at 75% of stations sampled, finding no hotspots and no clear correlation with depth or distance from land, demonstrating the widespread extent of deep-sea microplastic contamination.
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.
Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments and organisms of the Western Pacific Ocean
Researchers collected deep-sea sediment and organism samples from multiple sites in the western Pacific Ocean and found microplastics at all locations sampled, with depth, distance from land, and current patterns influencing accumulation, confirming the western Pacific deep sea as a significant microplastic sink.
Consistent microplastic ingestion by deep-sea invertebrates over the last four decades (1976–2015), a study from the North East Atlantic
Researchers found consistent microplastic ingestion by deep-sea invertebrates in the North East Atlantic over a 40-year period from 1976 to 2015, demonstrating that microplastic contamination of remote deep-sea habitats is a long-standing and persistent problem.
Vertical Flux of Microplastics in the Deep Subtropical Pacific Ocean: Moored Sediment-Trap Observations within the Kuroshio Extension Recirculation Gyre
Researchers used deep-ocean sediment traps to measure the downward flux of microplastics in the western North Pacific Ocean over a two-year period. They found that microplastics, primarily fibers, were sinking to depths of nearly 5,000 meters, with seasonal variations linked to biological processes at the surface. The study provides some of the first direct evidence that microplastics are actively being transported to the deep ocean floor.
Fate of microplastics in deep-sea sediments and its influencing factors: Evidence from the Eastern Indian Ocean
Surface sediments from 26 sites in the deep basin of the Eastern Indian Ocean were analyzed for microplastics, finding concentrations ranging widely and influenced by water depth, distance from land, and ocean current patterns. The study extends deep-sea microplastic monitoring to the Indian Ocean and identifies oceanographic transport as a key control on plastic distribution.
High Abundances of Microplastic Pollution in Deep-Sea Sediments: Evidence from Antarctica and the Southern Ocean
Microplastic pollution was investigated in deep-sea sediments from Antarctic and Southern Ocean regions, finding high abundances that varied among sites. The study confirmed that microplastics are accumulating in the remote Antarctic deep-sea environment, with evidence going back to scientific literature from the 1980s that has accelerated in recent years.
Falling into the darkness – microplastics sinking fluxes in the deep sea
Researchers deployed a sediment trap at 230 metres depth on the Condor seamount in the Azores for 12 months, collecting 18 sequential samples to quantify seasonal patterns in microplastic sinking fluxes and investigate the mechanisms by which floating microplastics are transported to the deep sea.
Sinking microplastics at a deep-sea seamount in the North Atlantic: a year-long flux study
Sinking microplastics were collected from sediment traps deployed at a deep-sea seamount in the North Atlantic, providing direct evidence of how plastic particles travel from the surface to the deep ocean floor. The study quantifies the deep-sea plastic flux at an ecologically significant seafloor feature.
Microplastics Baseline Surveys at the Water Surface and in Sediments of the North-East Atlantic
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations at the sea surface and in sediments across the southern North Sea and northwestern Europe, finding highly variable but widespread contamination. Sediments contained far higher concentrations than surface waters, confirming that the seafloor acts as a major sink for microplastic pollution.
Comparison of Microplastic abundance in varying depths of deep-sea sediments, Bay of Bengal
Researchers measured microplastic concentrations in deep-sea sediment samples from the Bay of Bengal at depths of 225 to 1,070 meters, finding the highest concentrations at intermediate depths. The findings add to evidence that microplastics have penetrated into deep-sea environments far from the surface.
The deep sea is a major sink for microplastic debris
Researchers analyzed deep-sea sediments from the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian Ocean and found microplastic fibers up to 4 orders of magnitude more concentrated than at the contaminated sea surface, identifying the deep seafloor as a vast and previously unknown repository of the world's 'missing' plastic.
Prevalence of small high-density microplastics in the continental shelf and deep sea waters of East Asia
Researchers collected water samples at multiple depth layers across the continental shelf and deep sea of East Asia and found that small, high-density microplastics were more abundant in deeper waters, suggesting vertical sinking pathways concentrate certain particle types in the deep ocean.
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.
High Quantities of Microplastic in Arctic Deep-Sea Sediments from the HAUSGARTEN Observatory
Researchers found high quantities of microplastics in deep-sea sediments from the Arctic HAUSGARTEN observatory, demonstrating that even remote deep Arctic seafloor environments have accumulated significant microplastic pollution.
A novel method enabling the accurate quantification of microplastics in the water column of deep ocean
A new sampling method was developed to accurately measure microplastics in the deep ocean water column, addressing gaps left by traditional net trawls that miss very small particles. Reliable deep-sea sampling is critical since the deep ocean is thought to be a major sink for global microplastic pollution.
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.
Abundance and characteristics of microfibers detected in sediment trap material from the deep subtropical North Atlantic Ocean
Researchers analyzed microfibers collected in sediment traps from the deep subtropical North Atlantic Ocean to characterize their abundance and composition, finding that synthetic fibers are transported through the water column and deposited in deep-sea sediments. The study helps quantify the role of atmospheric and surface inputs in delivering fibrous microplastics to deep marine environments.
Tying up Loose Ends of Microplastic Pollution in the Arctic: Distribution from the Sea Surface through the Water Column to Deep-Sea Sediments at the HAUSGARTEN Observatory
Scientists sampled the water column at multiple depths and deep-sea sediments at the HAUSGARTEN Arctic observatory, finding microplastics at all depths from surface to seafloor, with concentrations indicating that the Arctic deep sea is a significant long-term sink for microplastic pollution.
First evidence of plastic fallout from the North Pacific Garbage Patch
Researchers provided the first direct evidence that plastic debris from the North Pacific Garbage Patch sinks into the deep ocean, with plastic concentrations declining in a predictable pattern as depth increases. The polymer types found in the deep water matched those floating at the surface, confirming that surface garbage patches are a source of deep-sea plastic contamination.
The first report on emerged microplastics in deep-sea sediment: Insights from the Central Indian Ocean Basin
Researchers reported the first detection of emerged (beach-cast) microplastics in deep-sea sediments from an understudied region, characterizing particle types, polymer composition, and likely transport pathways. The findings confirm that even remote deep-sea environments receive microplastic inputs.
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.
Micropoluentes no mar profundo: influência do modo alimentar na ingestão de microplásticos em organismos bentônicos e detecção de poluentes orgânicos persistentes em amostras biológicas e de sedimento
This Portuguese-language study examined micropollutant exposure including microplastics in deep-sea organisms from the Southern Atlantic, analyzing how feeding mode determines microplastic ingestion across different species. The research found that even the most remote marine habitats on Earth harbor plastic contamination detectable in deep-sea fauna.
Vertical flux of microplastic, a case study in the Southern Ocean, South Georgia
Researchers deployed floating sediment traps in the Southern Ocean near South Georgia to measure the vertical flux of microplastics, finding that sinking of microplastics represents a significant and understudied pathway for removing plastic from the ocean surface into deep water.