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Atlantic Ocean's Nanoplastic Problem Revealed in Shocking New Study
NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN, JUL 10 – Researchers estimate 27 million tonnes of nanoplastics—smaller than one micrometer—are present in the North Atlantic, surpassing all larger plastic debris combined, raising ecological and health concerns.
- A study published on July 9, 2025, estimated that the North Atlantic Ocean contains roughly 27 million metric tons of plastic particles smaller than one micrometer, known as nanoplastics.
- The estimate resulted from sampling water at varying depths across 12 Atlantic sites during a November 2020 Pelagia research vessel cruise led by Utrecht University scientists.
- Researchers found the mass of nanoplastics rivals or surpasses that of larger microplastics and macroplastics previously documented in the ocean, highlighting a significant, previously hidden pollution fraction.
- Helge Niemann stated, "There is more plastic in nanoparticle form in this ocean part than in larger particles in the Atlantic or all the world's oceans," emphasizing the shocking scale of pollution.
- Experts urge reducing plastic production and improving monitoring, as nanoplastics penetrate ecosystems and food webs, posing risks to marine life and human health while complicating cleanup efforts.
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35 Articles
A study led by experts from the National University of Rio Negro raises questions about the magnitude of the problem and the urgency of implementing strategies to protect marine fauna and fishery resources
A new study suggests that there is significantly more nanoplastic in the oceans than previously thought, and there is even more of it than the floating pieces of plastic visible to the eye.
Tons of invisible plastics are hiding in our oceans
Plastic can take a long time to break down and decompose. Combine that with the fact that plastic is being found everywhere and microplastics have even been found in the human body, and you have quite the recipe for disaster. Now, it turns out the situation is even worse than we thought, as research has revealed that tons of invisible plastics are also just floating around in the ocean. We already knew that microplastics were a huge problem, and…
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