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. 2019 Jun 6;9(1):7843.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44117-2.

The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column

C Anela Choy  1   2 , Bruce H Robison  3 , Tyler O Gagne  4 , Benjamin Erwin  3 , Evan Firl  4 , Rolf U Halden  5 , J Andrew Hamilton  3 , Kakani Katija  3 , Susan E Lisin  4 , Charles Rolsky  5 , Kyle S Van Houtan  6   7
Affiliations

The vertical distribution and biological transport of marine microplastics across the epipelagic and mesopelagic water column

C Anela Choy et al. Sci Rep. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Plastic waste has been documented in nearly all types of marine environments and has been found in species spanning all levels of marine food webs. Within these marine environments, deep pelagic waters encompass the largest ecosystems on Earth. We lack a comprehensive understanding of the concentrations, cycling, and fate of plastic waste in sub-surface waters, constraining our ability to implement effective, large-scale policy and conservation strategies. We used remotely operated vehicles and engineered purpose-built samplers to collect and examine the distribution of microplastics in the Monterey Bay pelagic ecosystem at water column depths ranging from 5 to 1000 m. Laser Raman spectroscopy was used to identify microplastic particles collected from throughout the deep pelagic water column, with the highest concentrations present at depths between 200 and 600 m. Examination of two abundant particle feeders in this ecosystem, pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes) and giant larvaceans (Bathochordaeus stygius), showed that microplastic particles readily flow from the environment into coupled water column and seafloor food webs. Our findings suggest that one of the largest and currently underappreciated reservoirs of marine microplastics may be contained within the water column and animal communities of the deep sea.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The highest concentration of ocean microplastics was between 200 and 600 m, in the offshore waters of the Monterey Bay pelagic ecosystem. (A) Sample collection schematic showing the ROV Ventana tethered to the R/V Rachel Carson, wherein ROV Ventana filtered seawater using purpose-built samplers across depths ranging from 5 to 1000 m. Seafloor depth at this sampling site is ~1,600 m. (B) Microplastic concentrations varied across sample depths and peaked just below the mixed layer (see SI). We observed the lowest concentrations at the ocean surface, yet these concentrations were comparable to the most extreme depths we sampled. Confidence intervals reflect the 90% quantile of the empirical distribution of Pearson correlation distances between the laser Raman spectra of degraded ocean plastic samples (fishing gear) and a spectral library of 14 pristine industrial plastic types (see SI).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Polyethylene (PET) and polyamide (PA) were the dominant microplastics found in the water column and in particle-feeding marine life. Dominant plastic types identified from (A) water samples from 5 to 1000 m depths, (B) gastrointestinal tracts of pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes), (C) discarded houses (“sinkers”) of giant larvaceans (Bathochordaeus spp.), and (D) representative materials from Monterey Bay fishery and maritime operations. Relative proportions are from individual sample sets; filled circles are the median, error bars represent the 90% Pearson quantiles. The thick gray trend line is the average microplastic proportional composition across water column and marine life samples (A–C), and is replicated across all panels. Unlike the water column and marine life samples, fishing gear samples were composed mostly of polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene acrylonitrile (PSA) materials. Tables S1 and S2 provide more details on the polymers.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ingested microplastics are transported into marine food webs by particle feeders. Depth distributions of (A) Pleuroncodes planipes and (C) Bathochordaeus sinkers from 30 years of ROV observations. Microplastic materials from (B) different depths of the water column are transported through the ocean food web by common (D) water column (Caretta caretta, Phoebastria nigripes, Thunnus orientalis, Megaptera novaeangliae) and (E) deep-sea (both pelagic and benthic) (Munneurycope murrayi, Aegina citrea, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, Peniagone sp.) organisms. While some plastic materials are widespread throughout the water column (PET, PA, PC, PVC), other materials appear to be restricted to the surface (PP, PLA) or sub-surface waters (P, POM, ABS, PMMA).
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