There are 27 million tons of nanoplastics in the Atlantic, more than any other form of plastic.

BarcelonaIn the Atlantic, there are an estimated 27 million tons of nanoplastics, which means that these tiny particles of plastic (much smaller than microplastics) are the most abundant in this ocean, much more than the large pieces of plastic or what the well-known microplasticsThis is the conclusion of a new study published this Tuesday in the journal Nature and prepared for Utrecht University.

"This estimate shows that there is more plastic in the form of nanoparticles floating in this part of the ocean than in micro- or macroplastics floating in the Atlantic or even in all the world's oceans!" summarizes Helge Niemann, NIOZ researcher and NIOZ professor. The finding is very worrying because nanoplastics, due to their small size – less than a micrometer – are the most toxic of all plastic debris, as they can infest any organism, including bacteria and plankton.

According to the researchers, the analysis of these types of particles "is the missing piece of the puzzle" when it comes to studying plastics in the ocean, in the words of Niemann, a NIOZ researcher. And this new piece confirms what science has already said: that cleaning up the plastic currently in the oceans is insufficient, because these nanoplastics cannot be eliminated, and therefore what is needed is prevention and action to reduce plastic production. This is precisely the point that is stalling international negotiations to agree on a solution. a treaty against plastics, which will finally be attempted to be agreed upon this August in Geneva.

An ocean expedition

To carry out this research, an ocean expedition – aboard the ship RV Pelagia–, the researchers took samples from 12 different locations in the Atlantic, from the Azores to the European continental shelf, and filtered out anything larger than one micrometer. Sophie ten Hietbrink of the University of Barcelona.

Extrapolating the sample results across the entire North Atlantic Ocean, the researchers arrived at a figure of 27 million tons, "a shocking amount," said Ten Hietbrink. Microplastics, for example, range from 11 to 21 million tons in the Atlantic, mainly polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene

The much smaller nanoplastics come from the breakdown of plastic products that disintegrate under the influence of ocean water through various pathways, including rivers but also the air.

penetrate our bodies. They are even found in brain tissueNow that we know they are so ubiquitous in the oceans, it is also obvious that they permeate the entire ecosystem, from bacteria and other microorganisms to fish and higher predators. like humans", warns Niemann. And he insists: "We need to investigate further how this pollution affects the ecosystem." Niemann has received a grant to continue research on nanoplastics. nanoplastics, when these two types of plastic are the most abundant. "It's possible that they were masked by other molecules. We also want to know if nanoplastics are as abundant in other oceans. There are fears that they are, but that remains to be proven," concludes Niemann.