Among the impacts of deep sea mining, it is theorized that sediment plumes could have the greatest impact. Plumes are caused when the tailings from mining (usually fine particles) are dumped back into the ocean, creating a cloud of particles floating in the water. Two types of plumes occur: near-bottom plumes and surface plumes. Near-bottom plumes occur when the tailings are pumped back down to the mining site. The floating particles increase the turbidity, or cloudiness, of the water, clogging filter-feeding apparatuses used by benthic organisms. Surface plumes cause a more serious problem. Depending on the size of the particles and water currents the plumes could spread over vast areas. The plumes could impact zooplankton and light penetration, in turn affecting the food web of the area. Further research has been conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to investigate how these plumes travel through water in an attempt to create mathematical models which would allow for prediction of how plumes may travel and potentially this mitigate damage. This research is used to contribute to the work of the International Seabed Authority, the body which is mandated to develop, implement and enforce rules for deep-sea mining activities within it's area of responsibility, in gaining a full understanding of the environmental impacts.