We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Revealing the Freezing-Induced Alteration in Microplastic Behavior and Its Implication for the Microplastics Released from Seasonal Ice
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers revealed how freeze-thaw cycling alters microplastic behavior in environmental matrices, finding that freezing changes particle aggregation, surface properties, and transport dynamics with implications for polar and seasonally frozen environments.
Ice can serve as a significant temporary repository and conveyance mechanism for microplastics (MPs). MPs present in the water column can become entrapped within developing ice formations, subsequently being sequestered and transported by ice floes. With changing temperatures, MPs stored in ice can be released back into the environment, while freezing conditions can alter the properties of MPs, ultimately affecting the fate of MPs in the environment. Freezing of MPs in freshwater ice results in the aggregation of MP particles due to physical compression, leading to an increase in particle size once the MPs are released from the ice. The freezing-induced aggregation enhances buoyancy effects, accelerating the settling/rising velocity of MPs in water. Additionally, freezing can lead to enhanced surface wetting alterations, thus improving the dispersion of hydrophobic MPs. The presence of salt in the water can mitigate the effect of freezing on MPs due to the formation of a brine network within the ice structure, which reduces the pressure on MPs entrapped by ice. In cold regions, numerous MPs undergo freezing and thawing, re-entering the water column.
More Papers Like This
Micro- and nanoplastic transfer in freezing saltwater: implications for their fate in polar waters
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the fate of micro- and nanoplastics during sea-ice formation using a novel experimental system that simulated progressive saltwater freezing, measuring how plastics partition between ice and liquid phases and assessing implications for plastic accumulation and transport in Arctic environments.
Seasonal ice encapsulation: the pivotal influence on microplastic transport and fate in cold regions
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examines how seasonal ice encapsulation influences the transport and fate of microplastics in cold regions, noting that the small size and stability of microplastics allow them to persist even in remote environments including the Arctic and Antarctic. The authors analyze how freeze-thaw cycles and ice dynamics play a pivotal role in controlling microplastic distribution in these ecosystems.
Distribution of microplastics between ice and water in aquatic systems: The influence of particle properties, salinity and freshwater characteristics
AI summary Read the abstract
Laboratory freezing experiments showed that ice formation in both saltwater and freshwater captures microplastics, but the extent varies significantly with water chemistry, particle shape, and suspended solids — fiber-shaped particles were far less likely to be trapped in ice than fragments. In cold climates, ice can act as a seasonal reservoir that concentrates microplastics and then releases them in large pulses when it melts, making spring snowmelt a potentially significant delivery event for aquatic ecosystems. These findings are relevant for understanding microplastic dynamics in Arctic, subarctic, and temperate freshwater systems.
Fate of Nanoplastics in polar waters: Experimental evidence for expulsion from sea ice to saltwater
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted laboratory experiments showing that nanoplastics suspended in seawater are expelled from forming sea ice back into the underlying saltwater during freezing, rather than becoming trapped in the ice. This suggests that freeze-thaw cycles in polar regions could concentrate nanoplastics in surface seawater during spring melt.
Entrainment and Enrichment of Microplastics in Ice Formation Processes: Implications for the Transport of Microplastics in Cold Regions
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated how microplastic properties and environmental conditions affect their entrainment and enrichment during ice formation, finding that sea ice selectively concentrates microplastics and can serve as both a temporary sink and a transport medium in cold regions.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.