Deep-sea currents lead to micro-plastics collecting on the seafloor

4 May 2020

Image depicting microplastics, as in, New study shows how microplastics travel through the air

Deep-sea currents lead to micro-plastics collecting on the seafloor

Deep-sea currents lead to micro-plastics collecting on the seafloorWe read about microplastics in the snow in the Arctic. We had also read that there are much higher levels of microplastics in the ocean than expected.

Microplastics are very small plastic pieces that cause pollution.

A new study has shows that the level of microplastics on the seafloor is at its highest-ever level. This is almost 1.9 million pieces in just one square metre.

Scientists studied samples collected from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which located off the west coast of Italy.

We have seen and read about plastic floating in the ocean (like the Pacific Garbage Patch). Do you know we see only 1% of all the plastic that enters the ocean every year?
 	Until now, scientists had been wondering where the rest goes. The current finding shows that 99% ends up on the seafloor.
 	Deep-sea currents carry microplastics across the seafloor. They get collected in certain places, which are called "microplastic hotspots".
 	These microplastics mainly comprise of fibres from textiles and clothing. Since they are very tiny, water treatment systems cannot filter them and so, they get flushed out to sea.

Microplastics are dangerous because they can be contaminated by dangerous chemicals, which get into our food.

Here is a video on why we need to stop plastic pollution in our oceans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9O9YUbQew

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We read about microplastics in the snow in the Arctic. We had also read that there are much higher levels of microplastics in the ocean […]

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