Monterey Bay has more microplastics than Great Pacific Garbage Patch, researchers say



The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has up to 12 parts of microplastics per cubic meter of water whereas the some parts of the Monterey Bay have up to 16 parts of microplastics per cubic meter of water, according to previous research and a new study done on the Monterey Bay. less Giant kelp grows underwater in the Monterey Bay. A new study out of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute reveals that there is more microplastic pollution deep in the Monterey Bay than the Great Pacific Garbarge Patch. Giant kelp grows underwater in the Monterey Bay. A new study out of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute reveals that there is more microplastic pollution deep in the Monterey ... more Photo: Velvetfish/Getty Images/iStockphoto Photo: Velvetfish/Getty Images/iStockphoto Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Monterey Bay has more microplastics than Great Pacific Garbage Patch, researchers say 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

A study published in Nature from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) reveals that there is more plastic pollution deep in the Monterey Bay than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The plastic pollution takes the form of microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic (less than 5 millimeters across), that are common in the Monterey Bay at all depths of the body of water, from the surface to the seafloor, according to MBARI.

But at depths between approximately 650 and 2,000 feet, there is a density of microplastics that's equal to or higher than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a massive concentration of garbage on the Pacific Ocean's surface between California and Hawaii. Whereas the giant floating garbage patch has as high as 12 parts of microplastics per cubic meter of water, according to previous research, the density of microplastics deep in the Monterey Bay has up to 16 parts of microplastics per cubic meter of water.

Researchers, who conducted their sampling of water at depths ranging from the bay's surface to as deep as 3,281 feet in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, found that small ocean animals, like pelagic crabs and tadpole-like giant larvaceans, are likely consuming these microplastics. This consumption has potential for introducing the microplastics into the food web of the bay.

In the study, pelagic crabs and giant larvaceans, who filter-feed on particles that are similar to the size of microplastics, were sampled so researchers could find out their concentrations of microplastics. They found microplastic in every animal sampled in the study.

"Our findings buttress a growing body of scientific evidence pointing to the waters and animals of the deep sea, Earth's largest habitat, as the biggest repository of small plastic debris," Anela Choy, an oceanographer, researcher at MBARI and the lead author of the paper, said in a press release about the study.

The two types of microplastics that were the most prevalent in the study of the bay were polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide. Polyethylene terephthalate is used in single-use drink bottles and packaging and polyamide is used in textiles and the automotive industry.

As a contrast, researchers found very few plastic particles that are typically found in fishing gear, and found more plastics offshore than near the shore of the bay. "This suggests that most of the particles did not originate from local fishing gear," Kyle Van Houtan, chief scientist at Monterey Bay Aquarium and a co-author on the study, said in the release about the study. "It also suggests that at least some of the microplastic was transported into the area by ocean currents."

He added the fact that researchers found microplastics throughout the Monterey Bay's water column indicates that source reduction, making and using less plastic products, is the "most effective means of solving this issue."

"It may be virtually impossible to remove existing microplastic from the deep sea," he said. "But when we slow the flow of plastic from land, we can help prevent the increasing accumulation of plastic in our global ocean."

Drew Costley is an SFGATE editorial assistant. Email: drew.costley@sfgate.com | Twitter: @drewcostley