Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis, with 9 to 14 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year.
Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis, with 9 to 14 million metric tons of plastic entering the ocean every year. Tiny fragments called microplastics – ranging from 1 micron to 5 millimeters – make up the vast majority of plastic pieces found and pose serious risks to ocean health.
Most research has focused on surface waters, usually sampling just the top 15 to 50 centimeters using net tows. However, microplastics come in many forms with different properties, influencing how they move and interact with their surroundings.
A researcher from Florida Atlantic University is among an international team of scientists who has moved beyond just “scratching the surface,” marking a turning point in our understanding of how microplastics move through and impact the global ocean.
For the first time, scientists have mapped microplastic distribution from the surface to the deep sea at a global scale – revealing not only where plastics accumulate, but how they infiltrate critical ocean systems. For the study, researchers synthesized depth-profile data from 1,885 stations collected between 2014 and 2024 to map microplastic distribution patterns by size and polymer type, while also evaluating potential transport mechanisms.
Read more at Florida Atlantic University
Image: Tracy Mincer, Ph.D., co-author and an associate professor of biology and biochemistry in FAU’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. (Credit: Florida Atlantic University)
