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Scientists have uncovered plastic pollution in one of Earth’s most isolated environments, challenging the long-held belief that the deep ocean remains largely untouched by human activity. Analysing animals living more than 2,000 metres beneath the sea, researchers discovered that 92% contained microplastics, offering some of the clearest evidence yet that plastic waste has reached even the planet’s most remote marine ecosystems. The findings, published in the journal Water Research, also revealed a striking regional difference, with deep-sea animals collected from the Indian Ocean carrying significantly higher levels of contamination than those from the Pacific. The study raises fresh concerns about the growing reach of plastic pollution and its potential impact on fragile marine food webs.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Water Research, focused on hydrothermal vent ecosystems in the Central Indian Ridge and the North Fiji Basin. These underwater environments lie more than 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) below the surface and are among the most isolated habitats on Earth.Researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) examined deep-sea snails and mussels collected from these locations to determine whether microplastics had reached their bodies. Their analysis showed that 92% of the animals contained plastic particles, with an average of 3.4 microplastic particles per individual.