Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters, originating from the breakdown of larger plastics, industrial spills like nurdles, or products such as cosmetics and synthetic textiles. They enter oceans through rivers, wastewater, wind, and storm runoff, spreading globally via currents to even remote areas like the Mariana Trench.

Microplastics are ingested by marine life, from plankton to fish and seabirds, mistaking them for food. This causes physical harm like blockages, reduced reproduction, and death. They also absorb toxic chemicals, disrupting food webs and ocean chemistry, potentially leading to ecosystem collapse.

Microplastics enter the human food chain through contaminated seafood, potentially causing inflammation, hormonal disruptions, and increased risks of diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. They have been detected in human tissues, including blood and organs, posing a growing health concern.

Microplastics are found at all ocean depths, from surface waters to deep-sea trenches, with concentrations up to 10,000 particles per cubic meter in some areas. Studies estimate 27 million tons of nanoplastics in the North Atlantic alone, highlighting their pervasive distribution.

Removing microplastics, especially nanoplastics, is nearly impossible due to their small size and widespread dispersal. Cleanup efforts are often ineffective, making prevention—through reduced plastic production and better waste management—critical to addressing the issue.

Nanoplastics are plastic particles smaller than a micrometer, capable of passing through cell walls. They infiltrate marine organisms and human tissues, including the brain, and are harder to detect and remove than microplastics, amplifying their ecological and health risks.

Microplastics integrate into the ocean’s carbon cycle by being consumed by plankton, disrupting carbon sequestration processes. This interference could affect the ocean’s role in climate regulation, potentially exacerbating global warming and environmental instability.