Deep-sea snails and mussels in Indian and Pacific Oceans contain microplastics, study finds
Three days away from shore, in the darkened control room of a huge ship, all eyes are fixed on a glowing wall of screens. Live images of mussels and snails appear. The animals are packed around a deep-sea chimney venting something that looks like black smoke, but is actually superheated, mineral-rich water bursting from the […]
In 2016, researchers embarked on two expeditions to study deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the North Fiji Basin of the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Utilizing an underwater robot to capture specimens, they carefully collected 12 animals, including mussels and snails, which were then flash frozen to prevent contamination. Upon analyzing the results of these expeditions, conducted between 2016 and 2019, it was discovered that microplastic particles were present in the tissues of 11 out of the 12 sampled animals from four different species.
The findings, published in Water Research, indicate that human activities have an impact even on remote creatures residing in some of the most isolated areas on Earth.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
