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Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
The plastic you can't see is flooding the Atlantic, and entering your body
A massive cloud of plastic too small to see is now choking the North Atlantic Ocean. Scientists have found that around 27 million tons of nanoplastics , particles smaller than one micrometre, are floating in the waters between the Azores and the European continental shelf, as reported by TOI. These findings, part of a new study by the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and Utrecht University, mark the first time nanoplastics have been measured this precisely in the open ocean, and the results are staggering. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Management Others PGDM Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking healthcare others Cybersecurity CXO MCA Leadership Technology Data Science Degree Healthcare Public Policy MBA Finance Digital Marketing Operations Management Data Analytics Product Management Data Science Project Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 9 Months IIM Calcutta CERT-IIMC APSPM India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK GMPBE India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK General Management Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details Unlike microplastics, which have become an environmental shorthand for ocean pollution, nanoplastics are even smaller, able to slip past most filters, pass through biological membranes, and potentially accumulate in tissues, including those of humans. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like UK Drivers Could Claim Up to £4,000 – FCA Review in Progress Complex Law Click Here Undo According to the researchers, these near-invisible particles are far more numerous than the micro- and macroplastics floating in the same waters, making them a much bigger concern than previously thought. How they measured the invisible The research team collected seawater during a voyage aboard the RV Pelagia , using ultra-fine filters to capture particles below one micrometre in size. By analysing their chemical signatures with high-end mass spectrometry, the scientists could quantify just how much nanoplastic was present, and identify what kind of plastic it was. Live Events This study is the first to provide an accurate estimate of nanoplastic concentration in the marine environment, and the numbers far exceed earlier assumptions. The sheer volume, 27 million tons, suggests that most ocean plastic pollution might exist in forms we've never even seen. Where they come from, and where they end up These particles don't just drift in from obvious trash. While some originate from the breakdown of larger plastic waste exposed to sun and waves, others arrive by river runoff or even fall from the sky, carried by atmospheric currents and deposited through rain. Once in the ocean, nanoplastics spread through every layer of the marine food web, from bacteria and plankton up to fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. The concern, scientists say, is not just ingestion but penetration: nanoplastics can lodge deep in tissue, including brain and organ cells. That puts both marine species and humans, who eat seafood, at potential risk. Cleanup isn't an option. Prevention is. Given their microscopic size and enormous distribution, removing nanoplastics from the ocean is impossible with current technology. That's why researchers stress prevention: stopping plastic from entering the oceans in the first place is the only realistic way to curb the spread. Ongoing work is now focused on understanding how different types of nanoplastics affect living organisms and whether similar pollution levels exist in other oceans. But one thing is clear, this isn't just about marine life anymore. With the ability to cross the blood–brain barrier, nanoplastics could be a direct threat to human health. The study serves as a stark warning: what we throw away doesn't just float, it breaks down and spreads, often far beyond what we can see, touch, or clean up. And it's already here. With inputs from TOI
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
27 million tons of nanoplastics found in the North Atlantic Ocean, capable of devastating marine life and penetrating the human body
A study by the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and Utrecht University has revealed that the North Atlantic Ocean contains approximately 27 million tons of nanoplastics — microscopic plastic particles smaller than one micrometer. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These tiny plastics, invisible to the naked eye, pose serious threats not only to marine ecosystems but also to human health. The particles can penetrate deep into organisms, including humans, potentially causing unknown biological harm. This discovery sheds light on a previously hidden form of pollution that is far more pervasive and damaging than larger plastic debris. 27 million tons of nanoplastics saturate the North Atlantic The research team collected water samples during an expedition aboard the research vessel RV Pelagia, traveling from the Azores to the European continental shelf. By filtering particles smaller than one micrometer and analyzing their chemical signatures with advanced mass spectrometry techniques, scientists were able to quantify the sheer volume of nanoplastics floating in the ocean. This study marks the first-ever accurate measurement of nanoplastics in the marine environment, revealing that these particles outnumber larger microplastics and macroplastics in the North Atlantic alone. Pathways into the ocean and ecosystem impact Nanoplastics enter marine ecosystems through multiple routes. They often result from the breakdown of larger plastic debris exposed to sunlight, but can also be carried by rivers or transported through the atmosphere, falling into oceans via rain or settling directly on the surface. These microscopic plastics can infiltrate all levels of the ocean food chain, from bacteria to fish and even top predators such as humans. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Scientists are particularly concerned about their ability to penetrate tissues, including brain tissue, raising urgent questions about their effects on health and ecosystems. The urgent need to prevent further pollution Despite the massive quantity of nanoplastics already present, experts warn that cleanup is virtually impossible due to their tiny size and widespread distribution. The study emphasizes the critical need to prevent further plastic pollution entering marine environments. Ongoing research aims to understand the full impact of different types of nanoplastics and to determine if similar levels exist in other oceans worldwide. This discovery calls for stronger global action to reduce plastic waste and protect both ocean life and human health from the silent but pervasive threat of nanoplastics.
