Nanoplastics: The Hidden Killer in Our Oceans

A new study reveals a hidden source of ocean plastic pollution: ubiquitous nanoplastic particles! Researchers found three types of nanoplastics—PET, PS, and PVC—at alarming concentrations in the North Atlantic at various depths. An estimated 27 million tons of nanoplastics are present in just the surface layer of the temperate to subtropical North Atlantic. Unlike microplastics, nanoplastics, due to Brownian motion and other factors, distribute widely in the water column and can even pass through cell walls, entering the marine food web and posing a serious threat to both marine ecosystems and human health. This discovery underscores the severity of plastic pollution and the urgent need for effective solutions.