Pollution's Hidden Impact on the Ocean
Buoyant plastic can persist over 100 years due to slow fragmentation.
Microplastics <100 micrometers settle to the ocean floor after 400 million meters of cycles.
Slow fragmentation explains 'missing plastic' and threatens ocean biogeochemical cycles.
170 trillion microplastic particles weigh 2.3 million metric tons in oceans.
Seafood consumption may lead to microplastic ingestion.
2 weeks ago