在150年前的海洋沉积物中发现了微型塑料

在150年前的海洋沉积物中发现了微型塑料

Tiny fragments of plastic have been found buried in seabed sediment more than 150 years old.

人们在150多年前的海底沉积物中发现了微小的塑料碎片。

Scientists discovered the microplastics in core samples taken 2,200m (7,218ft) below the surface of the North Atlantic.

科学家在北大西洋表面以下2200米(7218英尺)的岩芯样本中，发现了这种微型塑料。

The discovery at the Rockall Trough off the Western Isles at first mystified scientists.

这一发现最初使科学家们感到困惑。

But in a new research paper they suggest the plastic dropped down burrows made by deep-sea worms.

但在一篇新的研究论文中，他们认为这些塑料是由深海蠕虫留下的洞穴掉落的。

Other fragments may have reached lower layers falling through "pores" - gaps in the grains of sediment.

其他碎片可能通过“孔隙”(沉积物颗粒中的空隙)坠落到较低的地层。

The Scottish Association for Marine Science (Sams) in Oban and University of the West of Scotland, who worked on the study, found plastic buried 10cm (3in) down into the seabed.

从事这项研究的奥班苏格兰海洋科学协会(Sams)和苏格兰西部大学(University of The West of Scotland)在海底发现了埋在10厘米(3英寸)深的塑料。

Dr Winnie Courtene-Jones, who carried out the sampling at Sams, said: "The layers of sediment down to around 4cm were around 150 years old, so based on that discovery alone, plastics were in the sediment long before they were mass produced on land.

在Sams进行取样的Winnie Courtene-Jones博士说：“沉积层厚度在4厘米左右，大约有150年的历史了，因此仅根据这一发现，塑料早在陆地大规模生产之前就已经存在于沉积物中。”

"It just didn't add up."

“这根本说不通。”

Dr Courtene-Jones along with other members of the research team suggest pores and also burrows made by creatures such as spoon worms allowed the plastic to sink into the seabed.

Courtene-Jones博士和研究小组的其他成员认为，像匙形蠕虫这样的生物所形成的气孔和洞穴使得塑料能够沉入海底。