BREVIA land (850 km) (7) (Fig. 1B).

We found plastic
Lost at Sea: Where Is All archived among the plankton in samples back to
the 1960s, but with a significant increase in abun-

the Plastic? dance over time (Fig. 1E). We found similar types
of polymer in the water column as in sediments,
suggesting that polymer density was not a major
Richard C. Thompson,1* Ylva Olsen,1 Richard P. Mitchell,1 factor influencing distribution.
Anthony Davis,1 Steven J. Rowland,1 Anthony W. G. John,2 It was only possible to quantify fragments that
Daniel McGonigle,3 Andrea E. Russell3 differed in appearance from sediment grains or
plankton. Some fragments were granular, but
most were fibrous, ⬃20 ␮m in diameter, and
Millions of metric tons of plastic are produced ing, and rope, suggesting that the fragments result- brightly colored. We believe that these probably
annually. Countless large items of plastic debris ed from the breakdown of larger items. represent only a small proportion of the micro-
are accumulating in marine habitats worldwide To assess the extent of contamination, a fur- scopic plastic in the environment, and methods are
and may persist for centuries (1–4). Here we ther 17 beaches were examined (Fig. 1B). Similar now needed to quantify the full spectrum of ma-
show that microscopic plastic fragments and fi- fibers were found, demonstrating that microscopic terial present. The consequences of this contami-

Downloaded from www.sciencemag.org on May 14, 2015

bers (Fig. 1A) are also widespread in the oceans plastics are common in sedimentary habitats. To nation are yet to be established. Large plastic
and have accumulated in the pelagic zone and assess long-term trends in abundance, we exam- items can cause suffocation and entanglement and
sedimentary habitats. The fragments appear to ined plankton samples collected regularly since disrupt digestion in birds, fish, and mammals (3).
have resulted from degradation of larger items. the 1960s along routes between Aberdeen and the To determine the potential for microscopic plas-
Plastics of this size are ingested by marine organ- Shetlands (315 km) and from Sule Skerry to Ice- tics to be ingested, we kept amphipods (detriti-
isms, but the environmental consequences vores), lugworms (deposit feeders), and barnacles
of this contamination are still unknown. (filter feeders) in aquaria with small quantities of
Over the past 40 years, large items of microscopic plastics. All three species ingested
plastic debris have frequently been re- plastics within a few days (7) (fig. S1).
corded in habitats from the poles to the Our findings demonstrate the broad spatial
equator (1–4). Smaller fragments, proba- extent and accumulation of this type of contam-
bly also plastic, have been reported (5) but ination. Given the rapid increase in plastic pro-
have received far less attention. Most duction (Fig. 1E), the longevity of plastic, and
plastics are resistant to biodegradation, but the disposable nature of plastic items (2, 3), this
will break down gradually through me- contamination is likely to increase. There is the
chanical action (6). Many “biodegrad- potential for plastics to adsorb, release, and
able” plastics are composites with materi- transport chemicals (3, 4). However, it remains
als such as starch that biodegrade, leaving to be shown whether toxic substances can pass
behind numerous, nondegradable, plastic from plastics to the food chain. More work is
fragments (6). Some cleaning agents also needed to establish whether there are any envi-
contain abrasive plastic fragments (2). ronmental consequences of this debris.
Hence, there is considerable potential for
large-scale accumulation of microscopic References and Notes
1. P. G. Ryan, C. L. Moloney, Nature 361, 23 (1993).
plastic debris. 2. M. R. Gregory, P. G. Ryan, in Marine Debris, J. M. Coe,
To quantify the abundance of micro- D. B. Rogers, Eds. (Springer, Berlin, 1996), pp. 48 –70.
plastics, we collected sediment from 3. J. G. B. Derraik, Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44, 842 (2002).
4. E. J. Carpenter, S. J. Anderson, G. R. Harvey, H. P.
beaches and from estuarine and subtidal Miklas, B. P. Bradford, Science 178, 749 (1972).
sediments around Plymouth, UK (Fig. 5. J. B. Colton, F. D. Knapp, B. R. Burns, Science 185, 491
1B). Less dense particles were separated (1974).
by flotation. Those that differed in appear- 6. P. P. Klemchuck, Polym. Degrad. Stab. 27, 183 (1990).
Fig. 1. (A) One of numerous fragments found among marine 7. Materials and methods are available as supporting
ance to natural particulate material (Fig. sediments and identified as plastic by FT-IR spectroscopy. (B) material online on Science Online.
1A) were removed and identified with Sampling locations in the northeast Atlantic. Six sites near 8. We thank C. Hoare, R. Ticehurst, G. Mandair, and F.
Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spec- Plymouth (▫) were used to compare the abundance of mi- Birembaut for help with sample collection and anal-
ysis. Supported by the Leverhulme Trust, UK.
troscopy (7). Some were of natural origin croplastic among habitats. Similar fragments (●) were found
Supporting Online Material
and others could not be identified, but on other shores. Routes sampled by Continuous Plankton www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/304/5672/838/
about one third were synthetic polymers Recorder (CPR 1 and 2) were used to assess changes in DC1
microplastic abundance since 1960. (C) FT-IR spectra of a Materials and Methods
(Fig. 1C). These polymers were present in microscopic fragment matched that of nylon. (D) Microplas-
most samples (23 out of 30), but were tics were more abundant in subtidal habitats than on sandy Fig. S1
References and Notes
significantly more abundant in subtidal beaches (*, F2,3 ⫽ 13.26, P ⬍ 0.05), but abundance was
sediment (Fig. 1D). Nine polymers were consistent among sites within habitat types. (E) Microscopic 10 December 2003; accepted 10 February 2004
conclusively identified: acrylic, alkyd, plastic in CPR samples revealed a significant increase in
poly (ethylene:propylene), polyamide abundance when samples from the 1960s and 1970s were 1
University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK. 2Sir Alister
compared to those from the 1980s and 1990s (*, F3,3 ⫽
(nylon), polyester, polyethylene, poly- 14.42, P ⬍ 0.05). Approximate global production of synthetic Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, Plymouth, PL1
methylacrylate, polypropylene, and fibers is overlain for comparison. Microplastics were also less 2PB, UK. 3University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
polyvinyl-alcohol. These have a wide abundant along oceanic route CPR 1 than along CPR 2 *To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-
range of uses, including clothing, packag- (F1,24 ⫽ 5.18, P ⬍ 0.05). mail: [email protected]

838 7 MAY 2004 VOL 304 SCIENCE www.sciencemag.org