US EditionStudy Reveals the Extent to Which Nanoplastic Pollutes the North Atlantic
NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN, JUL 9 – European researchers found nanoplastics at all depths with 27 million tonnes in the North Atlantic's top 10 meters, matching earlier estimates for all ocean plastics by mass.
- Researchers led by chemist Duaan Materi published a 2025 Nature study measuring extensive nanoplastic pollution across the North Atlantic Ocean.
- In 2020, researchers collected water samples from 12 locations across the Atlantic Ocean at different depths using the Dutch research vessel Pelagia to measure concentrations of plastic particles.
- They detected nanoplastic particles at all depths analyzed, especially concentrated in the subtropical gyre, with no polyethylene or polypropylene nanoparticles found despite surface microplastic presence.
- Materi estimated about 27 million tonnes of nanoplastic in the top 10 meters of the North Atlantic, noting these particles are so abundant they cannot be ecologically ignored and probably form the largest plastic mass fraction.
- The findings indicate that nanoplastics may severely threaten marine ecosystems due to their small size, which allows them to penetrate organismal defenses and build up within marine species, highlighting the need for expanded research and targeted prevention strategies.
20 Articles
20 Articles
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der Standard DESo far, the amount of plastic particles under a micrometer in the sea has been controversial. Now it is clear that there is at least as much of the remaining plastic waste together
These are plastic particles less than 1 micrometer in size. So small that they are invisible under many microscopes.
Nanoplastic concentrations across the North Atlantic
Plastic pollution of the marine realm is widespread, with most scientific attention given to macroplastics and microplastics1,2. By contrast, ocean nanoplastics (<1 μm) remain largely unquantified, leaving gaps in our understanding of the mass budget of this plastic size class3–5. Here we measure nanoplastic concentrations on an ocean-basin scale along a transect crossing the North Atlantic from the subtropical gyre to the northern European sh
An extrapolation of 27 million tons of nanoplastics in the North Atlantic alone. Researchers warn of threats to the environment and health.
Study reveals the extent to which nanoplastic pollutes the North Atlantic
Plastic waste pollutes oceans across all regions of the world. Marine animals may become entangled in larger plastic debris such as nets and bags or mistake smaller pieces for food. Ingested plastic can block or injure the gastrointestinal tract. The smallest plastic particles in the micro and nano range are mostly excreted, but a small proportion can pass through the intestinal wall and enter the bloodstream.
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