Sea creatures have been eating microplastics for four decades, study shows

A study by Oban scientists revealed that creatures living in the deepest parts of the ocean had been feeding on microplastic particles for at least four decades.

Scientists from the Scottish Sea Science Association (Sams) have drawn from the Institute's archived samples in the Rockall Pit, a deep ocean area off the west coast of Scotland.

They used the samples to evaluate the extent of microplastic ingestion in the stomach of starfish and brittle stars.

Traces of eight different plastics, including polyester and nylon, were found in the stomach of specimens living more than 6,500 m below the surface of the ocean between 1976 and 2015 – and levels ingestion were similar throughout this period.

During the time series, scientists found that nearly half of the sea stars and fragile stars sampled had ingested microplastics, small pieces of plastic less than five millimeters in size. When they are ingested by marine creatures, microplastics can be retained in their bodies and rebadembled in the food chain.

The study, published in Environmental Pollution, follows the SAMS research in 2017, which was the first to quantify levels of microplastic ingestion in marine creatures living at a depth of 7,217 feet.

Lead author Winnie Courtene-Jones, a doctoral student at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Sams, said, "Mbad production of plastics only began in the 1940s and 1950s; it would therefore be reasonable to expect less plastic in our samples upward trend at current levels, but we have not seen it. In fact, the level of microplastic ingestion is remarkably similar throughout the time series.

"These data show, for the first time, the long-term prevalence of microplastic pollution in the deep sea and indicate that microplastics may have been present on the sea bed of the Rockall Pit before 1976.

"We have only been able to collect this evidence using collections of archival specimens and encourage those with access to these repositories to consider using them to expand our knowledge of historical plastic pollution." , which will help us solve our modern problem. "

Dr. Bhavani Narayanaswamy, Sams Deep Water Ecologist, co-author of the report, added, "The discovery of microplastic ingestion rates as high among ocean creatures sampled over 40 years ago shows that plastic pollution in our oceans.

"We need more long-term data like this if we want to know the real extent of the problem."