Polyester pollution is disrupting seafloor ecosystems.

A recent study has highlighted the detrimental effects of polyester microfibers on the decomposition of organic matter on seafloors, posing significant threats to marine ecosystems. 

The research, led by a team of marine biologists, found that these microfibers disrupt the natural processes essential for nutrient recycling and carbon sequestration in coastal sediments.

According to the study, polyester microfibers alter the environmental dynamics critical for the breakdown of organic materials at the seabed. 

The research team used a variety of in-situ tools and assays to gauge the impact of these fibres on organic matter cycling. 

Their findings suggest a profound ecological disruption.

“Polyester microfiber pollution could be causing ecological harm by interfering with natural cycling processes within coastal sediment ecosystems that are important for supporting life on Earth,” the researchers say.