How Tiny Plastic Pollution Affects Ocean Life

The ocean's carbon cycle could be greatly affected by nano and microplastics. These tiny plastic particles are everywhere in the marine environment. Copepods are tiny ocean creatures that play a big role in moving carbon from the surface to the deep ocean. They do this by producing fecal pellets that sink to the bottom. These pellets are like little packages of carbon. Scientists wanted to see how nano and microplastics affect the production and sinking of these fecal pellets. They chose to study a specific type of copepod called Parvocalanus crassirostris. To do this, they used a special imaging technique to watch how nano and microplastics move around in the fecal pellets. They also measured the size and production rate of the pellets. They found that nano and microplastics change the way fecal pellets are made. Nano plastics spread evenly in the pellets, while microplastics do not. This makes the pellets smaller and less strong. When copepods are exposed to high levels of nano and microplastics, they produce fewer fecal pellets. This is because they become picky eaters and avoid the plastics. The sinking speed of the pellets also slows down when they contain a lot of plastic. The study showed that nano and microplastics can mess with the natural processes in the ocean. This could have big effects on the ocean's carbon cycle and the creatures that live there. This research is important because it helps us understand how plastic pollution affects the ocean. It also shows how tiny changes in the environment can have big impacts. The sinking rates of the fecal pellets were found to vary greatly. This means that even small amounts of plastic can change how quickly carbon moves through the ocean. The study provides new information about how nano and microplastics affect the vertical transport of carbon in the ocean. This is important for understanding the impacts of plastic pollution on marine life and the environment.