'Most Isolated Environments': Microplastics Are Finding Their Way Down to Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents

A KRIBB-led study found microplastics in 11 of 12 animals sampled from hydrothermal vent communities in the North Fiji Basin and Central Indian Ridge.

The plastics were detected in both snails and mussels, with higher levels in samples from the Indian Ocean.

Polystyrene was the most common type, underscoring how far plastic pollution has spread into deep-sea ecosystems.

The findings show that even remote benthic species are affected by local and regional pollution patterns.

Because cleanup at these depths is impractical, the study adds urgency to reducing plastic pollution at the source.