A new scientific study has revealed that the North Atlantic Ocean holds around 27 million tons of nanoplastics-plastic particles smaller than 1 micrometer. This is the first time such a large amount of nanoplastics has been estimated in ocean water.

The research was carried out by the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) along with Utrecht University, and the findings were published on July 9, 2025, in the journal Nature.

Researchers involved in the study said that this quantity of tiny plastic is actually more than the total amount of visible plastic (microplastics and macroplastics) floating not just in the Atlantic, but in all the world’s oceans combined.

One of the lead scientists from NIOZ, who is also a professor of geochemistry at Utrecht University, said that this estimate helps reveal a major part of the “missing plastic” puzzle- referring to the fact that a large portion of plastic ever produced could never be tracked or found.

The study was made possible through the joint efforts of ocean experts and an atmospheric scientist from Utrecht University, who helped develop a method to detect and measure such small particles. Previously, some studies had shown the presence of nanoplastics in seawater, but no one had been able to estimate how much was actually out there.

A master’s student from Utrecht University, Sophie ten Hietbrink, spent four weeks aboard the research vessel RV Pelagia to collect the data. During the expedition, which sailed from the Azores to the European continental shelf, she collected water samples from 12 different locations. Using filters, anything larger than 1 micrometer was removed from the samples.

The remaining material, which possibly contained nanoplastics, was then studied in a lab at Utrecht University. By drying and heating the samples and analyzing them using a process called mass spectrometry, the scientists were able to detect the molecules that make up various kinds of plastic.

The team then extrapolated the results to cover the entire North Atlantic Ocean and arrived at the total estimate of 27 million tons. According to the researchers, this amount is extremely high and should be seen as a major warning.

The nanoplastics in the ocean can get there in multiple ways. One source is sunlight, which breaks down larger pieces of plastic into much smaller ones. Another source is rivers that carry plastic waste from land into the sea.

The researchers also pointed out that nanoplastics can travel through the air and reach the ocean with rain or settle onto the surface as dry particles falling from the sky.

Experts believe that these tiny plastic particles can have serious effects on marine ecosystems. Nanoplastics are already known to enter the human body and have even been found in brain tissue.

Since they are now known to be widespread in ocean water, scientists believe they may already be present throughout the marine food chain, from bacteria and microorganisms to fish and larger animals, including humans.

The researchers also noted that some common plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene were not found in their samples. They think these types might have been hidden by other molecules and plan to investigate further.

They also want to study whether nanoplastics are present in similar amounts in other oceans around the world. Though they fear the answer might be yes, further research is needed to confirm it.

One of the researchers stated that while this new estimate fills an important gap in our understanding of plastic pollution, the situation is worrying. The nanoplastics already in the oceans cannot be removed. Therefore, the most important step now is to stop more plastic from entering the environment in the first place.

Reference: NIOZ

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