We know that plastic waste harms the sea and marine life. But what if those big plastics we see in the water are just the tip of the iceberg, and those plastics make up only 1% of the plastics in the sea? What happens to the 99% portion that we didn’t see then? Plastic wastes gradually turn into smaller particles in the ocean, which we call microplastics, and these particles can be smaller than 5 millimeters. According to a new study shared in Science Alert, researchers faced the largest microplastic stack ever seen. The largest stack ever seen: Along with the research, the amount covering the word ‘excessive’ was revealed. As a result of the research, 1.9 million pieces of microplastics were discovered on the sea floor, reaching a thickness of 5 centimeters in just one square meter. This level has gone down in history as the highest microplastic level ever detected in the ocean. Although microplastics are found on sea floors worldwide, the researchers did not have a clear idea of how these plastics got there. In the framework of the research, it was thought that the microplastics would break down according to their size and density. However, some of the plastics remained on the water while others were sinking. The plastics that remained on the water surface descended to the bottom of the water as they moss. Recent research has revealed that rivers also carry microplastics to the oceans. In fact, as a result of laboratory experiments, it was observed that microplastics accumulating on the sea floor can go down to the canyons in the sea. Researchers working on the Mediterranean shores of Italy said that the microplastics on the sea floor are part of fabric or textile products. These types of microplastics turn their health into a gambling game because they are consumed as food by living things. Because many studies have revealed that toxins accumulating in such plastics harm organisms. The discovery explained how microplastics reached the oceans and lifted the veil of secret.
