Are microplastics the ‘technofossils’ of the Anthropocene?

Abstract

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the environment, eventually becoming part of the geological record as ‘technofossils’. However, research on the chronological characteristics of microplastics remains limited. This study reviewed dating methods, microplastic abundance, and microplastic polymer type in sedimentary cores globally. Furthermore, the ‘evolution’ of plastic types was compiled in sequence, and a microplastic chronological sequence in the sedimentary record was established. This microplastics chronological sequence was applied to 39 published cores with microplastic polymer analysis. The sediment age ranges determined by microplastic type were found to correspond to the published ages, indicating that microplastics could be useful for dating sedimentary cores on a centennial scale. Furthermore, good preservation and limited mobility of microplastics in burial records make microplastic dating an effective supplementary dating method for determining ages of Anthropocene sediments.