Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

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.

2013 Environmental Pollution 1521 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 Environmental Pollution 378 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic occurrence in the deep-sea sediment of the Indonesian Throughflow, Banggai Sea

This first investigation of microplastics in deep-sea sediments in Indonesian waters found microplastic contamination in the Banggai Sea, with abundance strongly decreasing with distance from the coast and PET and PE identified as dominant polymer types.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 70 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 OCEANS 2022 - Chennai 7 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 8 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2014 Royal Society Open Science 1868 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Distribution in Sediments in Coastal of Pariaman City, West Sumatera Province

Indonesian researchers surveyed microplastic distribution in sediments along the coast of Pariaman City, West Sumatra, finding plastic particles throughout the study area. Higher concentrations near tourism areas and residential zones suggest that local human activities are the primary sources of coastal microplastic contamination.

2021 Asian Journal of Aquatic Sciences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Deep-ocean seafloor islands of plastics

Deep-ocean sediment transport processes concentrate microplastics into underwater islands or hotspots, similar to how they concentrate fine organic particles, making the deep seafloor a major repository for plastic pollution.

2020 Science 33 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of Microplastics from Deep-Sea Antarctic and West Coast North American Sediments

Microplastics were identified in deep-sea sediments from both Antarctic and North American Pacific sites, confirming that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote ocean floor environments far from human activity.

2023 Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University)
Article Tier 2

Vertical distribution of microplastic along the main gate of Indonesian Throughflow pathways

Researchers conducted the first investigation of vertical microplastic distribution in deep-sea waters along the Indonesian Throughflow pathway between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The study found an average of about 1 microplastic particle per liter across depths from 5 to 2,450 meters, with water temperature and density influencing particle distribution, indicating that microplastic contamination extends throughout the ocean water column.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Spatial Distribution and Quantification of Microplastic Contamination in Sediments of Kaliratu Coastal Waters, Kebumen, Indonesia

Researchers found microplastics in sediments along Kaliratu Beach in Indonesia at concentrations of 25–57.5 particles/kg, with fibres, fragments, films, and pellets all present, and used hydrodynamic modelling to trace how seasonal monsoon currents distribute them along the coastline. The findings highlight that even relatively remote Indonesian coastal areas near shrimp ponds and other anthropogenic activity are accumulating measurable plastic pollution.

2026 Environmental Quality Management
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Sumba waters, East Nusa Tenggara

Microplastics were found in sub-surface seawater around Sumba Island in eastern Indonesia, a relatively remote area. The findings underscore that Indonesia's high plastic pollution load has dispersed to waters around even its more isolated islands.

2018 IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling the deep-sea microplastic Odyssey: Characteristics, distribution, and ecological implications in Pacific Ocean sediments

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in deep-sea sediments from the Pacific Ocean at depths reaching nearly 7,000 meters. They found microplastics at every sampling site, predominantly polyester and rayon fibers, with the highest concentrations in the Western Pacific. The study highlights that microplastic pollution has reached some of the most remote deep-sea environments on Earth, raising concerns about its ecological impact.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 10 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024
Article Tier 2

Review of Microplastic Pollution in Indonesian Waters

This review documents the extent of microplastic pollution across Indonesian waters, including rivers, coastal areas, and the seafloor, and discusses its sources and environmental impacts. Indonesia is one of the world's largest plastic waste producers, making understanding the domestic microplastic problem critical for regional marine health.

2023 Science and Environmental Journal for Postgraduate 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Water Research 112 citations
Article Tier 2

Distribusi mikroplastik pada sedimen di Muara Badak, Kabupaten Kutai Kartanegara

An Indonesian study found microplastic fragments, films, and fibers in coastal estuary sediments at multiple stations, including residential and mangrove areas. The results document microplastic contamination in Indonesian coastal sediments and reflect the country's status as one of the world's largest plastic waste producers.

2015 DEPIK 103 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution and regulating factors in the surface sediment of the Xuande Atolls in the South China Sea

Scientists found microplastic pollution in seafloor sediments at the remote Xuande Atolls in the South China Sea, and identified water currents and human activity as key drivers of where the particles accumulate. The presence of microplastics in such a distant marine area underscores how pervasive plastic pollution has become in ocean environments far from population centers.

2023 Marine Pollution Bulletin 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Deep 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.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 21 citations