easy to recognize as pollution.
Microplastics are different.
As larger plastic items are exposed to sunlight, waves, abrasion, and other environmental processes, they can fragment into tiny particles. These particles can move through marine ecosystems and may eventually settle on the seafloor.
Because microplastics are so small, they can be difficult to remove once they have entered the environment.
Scientists are also studying the chemicals associated with plastic pollution and how contaminants may accumulate in marine ecosystems. However, the effects of these processes in the deepest ocean environments remain an active area of research.
Why the Discovery Matters
A plastic bag at the bottom of the Mariana Trench is more than an unusual photograph.
It demonstrates how connected Earth’s ecosystems really are.
The distance between a discarded item on land and the deepest ocean floor may be enormous, but the two are not isolated from each other.
Waste produced in
