The analysis shows that the most at-risk zones are not always the infamous garbage patches but often areas where plastic overlaps with dense marine life and chemical pollutants. This means waters with moderate plastic concentrations can still face severe ecological threats.
Published in Nature Sustainability, the research identifies four main pathways of harm: ingestion, entanglement, transport of toxic pollutants and the leaching of hazardous chemicals as plastics degrade.
"Plastic pollution in the ocean is widely recognized as a global concern, but the ecological risks it poses remain poorly understood," explained lead author Yanxu Zhang, associate professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Tulane. "We wanted to fill this knowledge gap by systematically assessing how plastics interact with marine life and ecosystems through multiple risk pathways."
The team applied advanced computational models integrating global ocean plastic data, marine species distribution and pollutant levels to construct a comprehensive new framework for risk assessment.
High-risk zones identified include the mid-latitude North Pacific and North Atlantic, parts of the North Indian Ocean and coastal waters of East Asia. Nutrient-rich ecosystems in these regions amplify ecological threats, even when plastic density is not the highest. Entanglement hazards are acute near active fishing grounds due to abandoned nets, traps, and lines known as ghost gear.
The study also highlighted plastics' role as carriers of pollutants, including methylmercury and PFOS, both of which accumulate in marine food webs and pose risks to human health. Regions where contaminated plastics are most likely to be consumed by marine organisms showed particularly elevated threats.
Looking to the future, models suggest that without decisive global action, ingestion risks could rise more than threefold by 2060. However, coordinated reductions in plastic use and improved waste management, especially in fast-developing regions, could significantly mitigate impacts.
"By mapping the global distribution of plastic-related ecological risks, we provide a scientific foundation to guide ocean cleanup priorities and policymaking," Zhang said. "This work comes at a crucial moment, as the world is negotiating a global plastic treaty, and we hope our results can help target interventions where they will have the greatest impact."
Research Report:Ecological risk assessment of marine plastic pollution
Related Links
Tulane University
Earth Observation News - Suppiliers, Technology and Application
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
