Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Deep Sea Microbial Ecology

Deep Sea Microbial Ecology

The deep ocean and its underlying sediments represent vast, largely unexplored microbial habitats that extend far beyond the sunlit photic zone. The photic (euphotic) zone typically spans the upper ~100–200 meters of pelagic waters in the open ocean, but its depth varies geographically and seasonally, where sufficient light supports photosynthetic life. Below this lies the deep sea, spanning roughly 1000–6000 meters (bathypelagic to abyssal zones), with deeper hadal trenches extending beyond...

Marine Microbial Ecology

Marine Microbial Ecology

Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a synthetic polymer widely utilized in the packaging industry, particularly for bottles and containers. Due to its chemical stability and durability, PET accumulates in the environment, contributing significantly to plastic pollution. It comprises repeating units of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, resulting in a semi-crystalline structure that is resistant to natural degradation processes.A notable breakthrough in plastic biodegradation came with the...

Microbial Mats

Microbial Mats

Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...

Freshwater Microbial Ecology

Freshwater Microbial Ecology

Freshwater systems such as streams, rivers, and lakes exhibit distinct physical and biological characteristics that influence their microbial communities. These environments are broadly categorized into lotic systems—those with flowing waters like streams and most rivers—and lentic systems, which include still or slow-moving waters such as lakes, ponds, and marshes.In lentic systems, phytoplankton drive primary production, generating autochthonous organic carbon. In contrast, lotic systems...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Marine influence on airborne bacterial community composition and predicted functional potential in coastal zones: a case study from Ostend, Belgium.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Contrasting toxicity between explosives- and chemical warfare agents-related compounds to the marine primary producer Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Ecotoxicology and environmental safety·2026

Same author

Systematic assessment of the mechanisms and risks of micro- and nanoplastic particle exposure in marine invertebrates.

Ecotoxicology and environmental safety·2026

Same author

First comprehensive catalogue of hibernating Darwin wasps in the Western Palaearctic (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae).

Biodiversity data journal·2026

Same author

Marine heatwaves disrupt germination and seedling physiology in Zostera marina.

Marine environmental research·2025

Same author

The Effect of High Temperatures on the Growth and Biochemical Composition of Cultivated Palmaria Palmata (Rhodophyta).

Marine biotechnology (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis

Published on: December 16, 2016

Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments.

Lisbeth Van Cauwenberghe¹, Ann Vanreusel, Jan Mees

¹Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.

Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)

|September 17, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microplastic pollution has reached the deep sea, with plastic particles found in sediments miles below the surface. This discovery confirms microplastic contamination extends to Earth's most remote marine environments.

Keywords:

Deep sea Microplastics Pollution Sediment

More Related Videos

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Published on: July 28, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 7, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis

Published on: December 16, 2016

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris

Published on: July 28, 2018

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Environmental Science
Oceanography

Background:

Microplastics (<1 mm) result from larger plastic degradation and accumulate globally.
Previous research detected microplastics in marine environments, but deep-sea sediments remained uninvestigated.
The extent of microplastic distribution in marine sediments was largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine if microplastics are present in deep-sea sediments.
To investigate the global spread of microplastic pollution into remote ocean depths.

Main Methods:

Collected deep-sea sediment samples from four distinct deep-sea habitats.
Analyzed sediments for the presence of microplastic particles across a depth range of 1100 to 5000 meters.

Main Results:

Microplastic particles, in the micrometre range, were detected in deep-sea sediments.
The findings confirm the presence of microplastics in diverse deep-sea environments.
Microplastic contamination is widespread, reaching even the most remote marine ecosystems.

Conclusions:

Microplastic pollution has infiltrated the deep sea, a previously unconfirmed frontier.
This study demonstrates the pervasive nature of microplastic contamination across all marine environments.
The deep sea is not immune to microplastic pollution, highlighting a critical global environmental issue.