Underestimated Microplastic Pollution Derived from Fishery Activities and “Hidden” in Deep Sediment
Baoming Xue, Linlin Zhang, Ruilong Li, Yinghui Wang, Jing Guo, Kefu Yu, Shaopeng Wang
Abstract
= 0.015) with values of fishery yields of different districts, which highlighted the effects of different fishery activities on microplastic contamination in marine sediment. Microplastics could be "hidden" in deep sediment to a depth of 60 cm. The estimated storage of microplastics in deep sediment (185 tons) was 5 times that in surface sediment. The assessment of microplastic storage worldwide might be underestimated because most previous studies only examined surface sediment. The abundance distribution and size distribution of microplastics in the sediment core suggested long-term burial of microplastics in deep sediment. Bioturbation might be responsible for the vertical transport of microplastics, leading to "fresh microplastics" preservation in "old sediment".