Skip to content
NANOPLASTICSPLANETARY OBSERVATORY← Back to the observatory

WHERE EVERY IMAGE COMES FROM

Picture Credits

Every image on this site is listed with its source, credit and license or terms of use. The list separates real imagery, data graphics made from cited data, and AI illustrations.

1 min readUpdated ReviewedPProvenance

Flat world map from NASA Blue Marble imagery: dark blue oceans, green and tan continents, white sea ice at both poles
Earth's surface in NASA's Blue Marble composite (2002), the texture of this site's home globe, shown as a flat map. Land and coastal ocean come from MODIS observations made June to September 2001; a cloud-free composite, not a single snapshot.NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation).NASASource ↗

Every image on this site is listed below with its source, credit and license or terms of use. There are three kinds. Real photographs and micrographs appear only after their license is verified; captions name the instrument or setting. Data graphics are made here from cited data, and each caption names its source. AI illustrations show what no camera can, such as particles enlarged for visibility; each is labeled "Illustration" and never presented as a measurement.

The four microworld visuals on the home page are such illustrations: they were generated on 14 October 2026 with OpenAI's gpt-image model through Codex, OpenAI's coding agent, at the site owner's request (the owner's statement, matched by the local Codex records). Their prompts and file lineage are recorded; the original PNGs also carry C2PA credentials naming OpenAI, whose signatures have not been independently validated (P)1. Each is labeled as an illustration and shows no real tissue and no measurement.

Reuse follows each image's own terms. Graphics made by this site are released under {{SITE_LICENSE}}; the data they draw on keeps its own terms. To report a wrong or missing credit, use Corrections & Contact. Our image rules are in How We Work.

All images on this site by lane and license, counted from the image manifests on 4 November 2026 (final images only, each file once). Data: site image manifests.Nanoplastics ObservatorySite original
Data table
lanelicense classimages
L1Public domain, CC0, NASA or US Gov13
L1CC BY14
L1CC BY-SA10
L1Other terms1
L2Site original78
L3Site original23
total139

Home page

Journey frame: through clouds toward the ocean (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, FLUX.1 schnell)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py
Also used on
From Planet to Cell

Journey frame: plastic fragment among smaller particles (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, FLUX.1 schnell)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py
Also used on
From Planet to Cell

The Blue Marble (2002): Western Hemisphere globe Real image

Credit
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation).
Also credited
Data and technical support: MODIS Land Group; MODIS Science Data Support Team; MODIS Atmosphere Group; MODIS Ocean Group. Additional data: USGS EROS Data Center (topography); USGS Terrestrial Remote Sensing Flagstaff Field Center (Antarctica); Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (city lights).
License
NASA
Also used on
Planet Overview
Source ↗

The Blue Marble: Land Surface, Ocean Color and Sea Ice (2048 × 1024) Real image

Credit
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation).
Also credited
Data and technical support: MODIS Land Group; MODIS Science Data Support Team; MODIS Atmosphere Group; MODIS Ocean Group. Additional data: USGS EROS Data Center (topography); USGS Terrestrial Remote Sensing Flagstaff Field Center (Antarctica); Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (city lights).
License
NASA
Also used on
Picture Credits
Source ↗

The Blue Marble: Clouds (2048 × 1024) Real image

Credit
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation).
Also credited
Data and technical support: MODIS Land Group; MODIS Science Data Support Team; MODIS Atmosphere Group; MODIS Ocean Group. Additional data: USGS EROS Data Center (topography); USGS Terrestrial Remote Sensing Flagstaff Field Center (Antarctica); Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (city lights).
License
NASA
Source ↗

Microworld panels: air, water, soil and lung tissue (AI illustration, 2 × 2 atlas) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
OpenAI gpt-image (version not stated) · Codex Desktop (OpenAI)

Journey frame: ocean through clouds (AI illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
OpenAI gpt-image (version not stated) · Codex Desktop (OpenAI)

Journey frame: a single cell (AI illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
OpenAI gpt-image (version not stated) · Codex Desktop (OpenAI)

Journey frame: a particle above a cell membrane (AI illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
OpenAI gpt-image (version not stated) · Codex Desktop (OpenAI)

What You Can Do

Enamel kettle on a gas stove Real image

Credit
Photo by Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov on Unsplash
License
Unsplash License
Source ↗

Everyday actions by evidence and measured effect Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-075

Plastic microwave rice cooker Real image

Credit
"Microwave Rice Maker" by Armchair, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
License
CC BY-SA 3.0
Source ↗

Canister vacuum cleaner on a tiled floor Real image

Credit
"Hlektiki skoupa" by Avacalop, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
License
CC BY-SA 4.0
Source ↗

External washing-machine filter with captured lint (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Solutions by Approach

Sediment plume at sea Real image

Credit
contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2019), processed by ESA
License
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Source ↗

Solutions by approach and system: status on 3 November 2026 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-061

Inner Harbor Water Wheel (Mr. Trash Wheel), Baltimore Real image

Credit
U.S. Army photo by Cynthia Mitchell, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
License
Public domain (US Gov)
Source ↗

Where each approach acts along the chain Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-047

The solution status scale with one example per rung Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-047

Atmosphere

Saharan Dust on the Move Real image

Credit
NASA Earth Observatory; NASA images by Norman Kuring, NASA's Ocean Color web
License
NASA
Source ↗

Atmospheric Wet Deposition Sampler Real image

Credit
NPS / Mary O'Neill
License
Public domain (US Gov)
Source ↗

Measured vs modeled microplastic concentrations in air, global medians Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-052

Global microplastic emissions into the air: published estimates Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-052

Airborne plastic indoors and outdoors: what each study counted Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-052

Airborne microplastic from source to deposition Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-052

Fiber and pollen grain in daylight air (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

SEM of an airborne plastic fiber, Delhi 2024 (Rao et al. 2025, Fig. 7, bottom-right panel) Real image

Credit
Figure 7 (bottom-right panel) from Rao et al. (2025), Scientific Reports 15: 25662, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04306-8 · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Corrections & Contact

Example corrections log entry (not a real correction) Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

Report a correction (icon) Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

From a reader report to a dated corrections log entry Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

What Is Nanoplastic

Figure 4B: HR-SEM of polystyrene particles before and after simulated thermal treatment Real image

Credit
Figure 4B from Sarkar A.K., Rubin A.E., Zucker I. (2021), Environmental Science & Technology 55(15):10491–10501, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c02196 · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Polyethylene balls Real image

Credit
"Polyethylene balls5" by Lluis tgn, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
License
CC BY-SA 3.0
Source ↗

Where nanoplastics sit on the size scale Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-005

Common plastics by density, compared with water Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-221

Same mass, smaller pieces: number and total surface of one 1 mm cube Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-017

Six shape classes used to sort plastic particles Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-005

Events & Conferences

Austria Center Vienna from SSW on 2014-08-22 Real image

Credit
"Austria Center Vienna from SSW on 2014-08-22" by Robert F. Tobler, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
License
CC BY-SA 4.0
Source ↗

Micro- and nanoplastics events, December 2026 to December 2027 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-152

Where the twelve listed events meet, December 2026 to December 2027 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-249

Event card template (example: EGU27, Vienna) Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-234

Evidence by Status

30 findings on the evidence ladder, 3 November 2026 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-021

Findings by system and evidence level, 3 November 2026 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-021

Where each system stands on four questions Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-021

Evidence glyphs A to E and the provenance mark P Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-original

Particles in focus, out of focus and in darkness (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Evidence by System

The findings on this page by system and evidence level Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-063

Atmospheric deposition monitoring site visit Real image

Credit
U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Mission Area
License
Public domain (US Gov)
Source ↗

Atmospheric Wet Deposition Sampler (NADP.jpg) Real image

Credit
Mary O'Neill, National Park Service (NPGallery)
License
Public domain (US Gov)
Source ↗

Micro-plastiques sur la plage de Famara aux Canaries (Ifremer 00377-48871, image 218) Real image

Credit
Emina Mamaca (2016). Micro-plastiques sur la plage de Famara aux Canaries. Ifremer, https://image.ifremer.fr/data/00377/48871
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

CSIRO ScienceImage 645: Sampling Soil in Eucalypt Plantation Real image

Credit
"Sampling Soil in Eucalypt Plantation" by T. Grove, CSIRO (ScienceImage 645), via Wikimedia Commons
License
CC BY 3.0
Source ↗

The studies on this page by year and system Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-063

Lung air sacs with a few plastic fragments (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Flows & Model

Perpetual Ocean: print-resolution still of the Gulf Stream Real image

Credit
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
License
NASA
Source ↗

Every v7 preset on its own scale (log) Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-052

What the v7 counters add, and what they keep apart Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-011

What kind of number is each v7 entry? Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-011

Structure of counter model v7 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-276

Four Microworlds

What controls particles in each microworld Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-281

Fibers and fragments in daylight air (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Floating and sinking films in sunlit shallows (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Lung air sacs with capillaries (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Soil cross-section: fragments held in pores between grains, roots and fungal threads Illustration

Credit
Graphic: Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-original

The four microworlds (card) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Air, water and lung tiles: Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux). Soil tile: Graphic: Nanoplastics Observatory. Card: Nanoplastics Observatory.
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8) for the air, water and lung tiles; the soil tile is a vector diagram (no model)

Knowledge Gaps

Knowledge map: evidence level of each finding, by system and question Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-021

Where airborne microplastics have been measured Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-285

Which particle sizes current methods and rules cover Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-132

Methane bubbles above a cold seep, offshore Virginia (NOAA image expn0686) Real image

Credit
NOAA OKEANOS Explorer Program, 2013 ROV Shakedown and Field Trials (NOAA Photo Library, image expn0686)
License
CC BY 2.0
Source ↗

A narrow beam in a dark volume of particles (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Particles above and below a detection threshold (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Human Body

Microphotographs and μFTIR spectra of the main microplastics found in the digested olfactory bulb (Figure 2) Real image

Credit
Figure 2 from Amato-Lourenço LF et al. (2024), Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain, JAMA Network Open 7(9):e2440018, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.40018 · CC BY 4.0
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Weekly intake estimates for one adult, log scale Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-103

Where plastic particles have been reported in the human body Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-090

What an observational study can and cannot show Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-093

A plastic fragment beside a blood cell Illustration

Credit
Fragment: Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux). Cell drawing and composite: Nanoplastics Observatory.
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-original

From Planet to Cell

From planet to cell: six stops and reference sizes on one logarithmic ruler Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-222

Journey frame: ocean through clouds (v6) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
OpenAI gpt-image (version not stated), via Codex Desktop, 14 October 2026 · Codex Desktop (OpenAI)

Journey frame: particle above a membrane (v6) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
OpenAI gpt-image (version not stated), via Codex Desktop, 14 October 2026 · Codex Desktop (OpenAI)

From planet to particle: four stops of the journey Illustration

Credit
Earth: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation). Ocean, cell and particle: Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex). Composite: Nanoplastics Observatory.
License
NASA (Earth frame); Site original (illustrations and composition) terms pending
Data
site-original

From Earth to a 100 nm particle: 14 orders of magnitude Illustration

Credit
Earth: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation). Particle: Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex). Card: Nanoplastics Observatory.
License
NASA (Earth frame); Site original (illustrations and composition) terms pending
Data
S-300

Landmark Studies

How six famous numbers aged Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-104

Model results for global count density in four size classes (Figure 2) Real image

Credit
Figure 2 from Eriksen et al. (2014), PLOS ONE 9(12): e111913, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111913 · CC0 1.0 · unmodified
License
CC0 1.0
Source ↗

RV Pelagia Real image

Credit
"RV Pelagia" by Wusel007, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
License
CC BY-SA 3.0
Source ↗

Landmark studies 2004 to 2026 by system and evidence level Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-001

Landmark studies 2004 to 2026 by system and evidence level Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-001

Key findings of the 21 entries by evidence level Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-original

Study card template (example: Thompson 2004) Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-001

Evidence Levels

The evidence levels of this site (rubric version 1.1) and the separate provenance mark Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

Decision flow for grading one finding Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-392

Annotated graded key number Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-104

How We Measure It

Analyse d'échantillons: analysis of microplastic by IR (infrared) spectroscopy Real image

Credit
Lesbats Stephane (2020). Analyse d'échantillons. Ifremer. https://image.ifremer.fr/data/00702/81374/
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Fig. 6 (left): small polypropylene particle on Al-coated PC filter and Raman spectra depending on laser focus Real image

Credit
Figure 6 (left panel) from Jüngling I.S., Schmitt L., De Franceschi F., Da Costa Filho P.A., Lei L., Coic L., Benismail N., Dubascoux S., Ambühl M.E., Ivleva N.P. (2026), Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 418:5283–5302, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-026-06567-2 · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Analyse d'échantillons: observation of a fiberglass filter on which microplastics are present Real image

Credit
Lesbats Stephane (2020). Analyse d'échantillons. Ifremer. https://image.ifremer.fr/data/00702/81374/
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

What each method can tell, and what it cannot Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-039

Same water, different cutoff: modeled count relative to a 300 µm cutoff Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-314

Where plastic can enter a sample at the lab bench (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

How to Read the Numbers

Bottled water: reported particles per liter and the smallest size each count includes Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-074

Same mass, different count: one 1 mm sphere versus 100 nm spheres Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-016

Mass equivalent of one week's modeled intake for adults (mg), log scale, with reference objects shown apart Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-103

How to read a log scale Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-074

How this site draws measurements and estimates Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

Oceans

Barents Sea (phytoplankton bloom, 14 August 2011) Real image

Credit
NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team
License
NASA
Source ↗

Mise en oeuvre d'un filet Manta depuis le Téthys II (Ifremer 00618-72998 - 36540) Real image

Credit
Dugornay Olivier (2018). Mise en oeuvre d'un filet Manta depuis le Téthys II. Ifremer. https://image.ifremer.fr/data/00618/72998/
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Separate published estimates of plastic mass in rivers and the ocean, not one budget Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-011

Nanoplastics in the North Atlantic, November 2020: concentration by depth and estimated mass by polymer Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-067

Map of the 12 hydrocast stations along a transect crossing the North Atlantic (Figure 1) Real image

Credit
Figure 1 from ten Hietbrink S, Materić D, Holzinger R, Groeskamp S, Niemann H (2025), Nanoplastic concentrations across the North Atlantic, Nature 643:412–416, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09218-1 · CC BY 4.0 · unmodified
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

A plastic fragment sinking in marine snow (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Nurdles - plastic "gravel" Real image

Credit
"Nurdles - plastic 'gravel'" by hockadilly, via Flickr and Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
License
CC BY-SA 2.0
Source ↗

Planet Overview

Three numbers at three scales Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-011

How the counters run: flow × elapsed time Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-052

Sea spray drifting over a coastal soil bank (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Picture Credits

Lane legend: real image, data graphic, illustration Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

Images on this site by lane and license Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-derived

Policy & Regulation

Plastic pellets on Ladeira beach, Corrubedo Real image

Credit
"Granulado na praia de Ladeira, Corrubedo" by Estevoaei, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
License
CC BY-SA 4.0
Source ↗

What each EU instrument covers Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-129

Where the measures on this page apply, by type Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-129

Rules and treaty sessions on micro- and nanoplastics, 2015 to 2027 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-129

Rules and treaty sessions on micro- and nanoplastics, 2015 to 2027 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-129

Soil

Greenhouses of the Campo de Dalías, Almería Province, Spain (ISS008-E-14686) Real image

Credit
Image courtesy of the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center (ISS008-E-14686)
License
NASA
Source ↗

Strawberry field with black plastic mulching in Umm Haratayn al-Gharbiyah Real image

Credit
"Strawberry field with black plastic mulching in Umm Haratayn al-Gharbiyah" by Hayan Alhasan, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
License
CC BY-SA 4.0
Source ↗

How plastic gets into soil, and what we know about each route Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-256

Estimates of microplastic going to soil, and the ocean surface for scale Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-082

Plastic pieces among topsoil grains (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Nile-blue-labelled polystyrene beads (0.2 um) in a wheat root, confocal red channel, laboratory exposure (Li et al. 2020, MethodsX, Fig. 1K) Real image

Credit
Figure 1 (panel K) from Li et al. (2020), MethodsX 7: 100750, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2019.11.023 · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Solutions by System

Daugavgrīva wastewater treatment plant, 2022 Real image

Credit
"Daugavgrīva wastewater treatment plant, 2022" by Mosbatho, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
License
CC BY 4.0
Source ↗

Solution status by system: how far each approach has got Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-127

Particulates in a HEPA filter Real image

Credit
© Friedrich Haag / Wikimedia Commons / “Staub 003 2024 08 10” / CC BY-SA 4.0
License
CC BY-SA 4.0
Source ↗

Where captured particles go Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
S-047

Living room with an air purifier and a window open onto a street (illustration) Illustration · AI generated

Credit
Site illustration (AI-generated, Flux)
License
Site original terms pending
Made with
FLUX.1-schnell (fp8, Comfy-Org/Flux-1-Schnell) · ComfyUI (local), tools/content/generate_l3.py

Inside a slow sand filter: biofilm-coated grains hold a small fragment Illustration

Credit
Graphic: Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-original

Methods & Sources

Every source in the registry, by type and year Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-390

Sources by publication year and type Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-390

Source hierarchy used on this site Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

How one claim travels from source to footnote Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-029

This Week

View of the Earth seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the moon (AS17-148-22727) Real image

Credit
NASA/Apollo 17 crew (Johnson Space Center, AS17-148-22727)
License
NASA
Source ↗

News items on a 60-day line, 4 September to 3 November 2026 Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-395

News card template (example: Communications Earth & Environment, 30 Oct 2026) Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-399

Debris floating down the flooded Brisbane River 3 (Flickr: Flotsam Jan 12 - PM) Real image

Credit
"Flotsam Jan 12 - PM" by Robert Hoge, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
License
CC BY 2.0
Source ↗

How We Work

How a page is made Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
S-392

Three kinds of images on this site Data graphic

Credit
Nanoplastics Observatory
License
Site original
Data
site-original

How an AI illustration appears on this site Illustration

Credit
Particle frame: Site illustration (AI-generated, OpenAI image model via Codex). Annotated page: Nanoplastics Observatory.
License
Site original terms pending
Data
site-original

Sources

  1. Nanoplastics planetary observatory (2026). Editorial decisions record and complete-solution criterion of the Nanoplastics planetary observatory. Nanoplastics planetary observatory (site editorial record). Methods record on this site site record open access

Evidence levels and provenance

AConsensus
Multiple independent studies or a systematic review plus a statement by a scientific body.
BWell supported
Several independent studies with concordant findings.
CLimited
Few studies, narrow conditions, or methodological caveats.
DDisputed
Conflicting results; both sides are shown.
EUnknown
No reliable evidence found; the search scope is stated.
PProvenanceUsed on this page
Provenance: checked against the primary record. A separate category, not an evidence grade: used for bibliographic facts, legal texts, official metadata, definitions quoted from a standard, the site's own arithmetic and statements about the site's process.

Editorial categories of this site. A–E grade scientific findings, per claim, with a one-line rationale; D and E are not lower rungs of the A–C scale. P is not a grade: it marks facts checked against their primary record.