Apparently, Nature itself makes plastic-like polymers:
• Amber (fossilized tree resin) is a natural thermoplastic.
• Cutin, suberin, and sporopollenin in plants are durable, long-chain organic polymers.
• Algae and bacteria can produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) — biodegradable plastics.
These could survive in sediments — and superficially resemble modern synthetic plastics.
But, not all of these results are confirmed at this point. Just another interesting twist.
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Kenneth Howard
Recent studies have identified microplastics in ancient sediment layers, indicating their presence prior to widespread human activity. These findings challenge the assumption that microplastics are solely a modern pollutant.
In archaeological sites, microplastic particles have been found in deposits over seven meters deep, dating back to the first or early second century. This suggests that microplastics infiltrated these sediments long before industrialization.
Similarly, sediment cores from the Norwegian Coastal Current revealed microplastics in layers predating plastic production. This discovery implies that microplastics have been present in marine environments for centuries.
These findings highlight the complex history of microplastic pollution, suggesting that natural processes may have contributed to their distribution in ancient sediments.
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