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Plastics and Derived Contaminants in the Arctic
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics and nanoplastics are accumulating in Arctic marine environments and affecting wildlife, with findings relevant to biodiversity conservation in one of Earth's most sensitive and rapidly changing ecosystems.
This chapter provides a comprehensive examination of the impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics on Arctic marine fauna within the context of biodiversity conservation efforts. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, and nanoplastics,...
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Microplastics in Polar Samples
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Researchers reviewed what is known about microplastic contamination in polar environments — the Arctic and Antarctic — finding that despite their remoteness, these regions show measurable microplastic presence in water, ice, sediment, and wildlife. The findings suggest that atmospheric and ocean transport can carry microplastics to virtually every corner of the planet, including the most pristine environments.
Microplastics in Polar Samples
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Microplastics have been detected in polar samples including sea ice, water, sediments, and organisms, demonstrating that plastic contamination reaches even the most remote regions on Earth. This global dispersal confirms that no ecosystem is shielded from microplastic exposure, underscoring the scale of the pollution challenge.
Plastics and Microplastics in the Environment
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"This overview documents the surge in global plastic production and the resulting ubiquitous environmental contamination by plastics and microplastics across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems. Understanding the full scope of plastic pollution is foundational for assessing human health risks, as microplastics are now found in food, water, and air consumed daily by billions of people."
Plastics and Microplastics: Impacts in the Marine Environment
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Plastics and microplastics have achieved near-universal distribution in marine environments from surface waters to deep-sea sediments, persisting for decades while fragmenting into increasingly smaller and more biologically available particles. The growing concentration of microplastics in oceans represents a long-term threat to marine biodiversity and the food safety of seafood consumed globally.
Effects of Microplastics in the Cryosphere
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Microplastics have been detected at surprisingly high concentrations in the cryosphere — glaciers, sea ice, and polar snow — with melting ice acting as a release mechanism that redistributes accumulated plastics into freshwater and marine systems. This finding means climate change and plastic pollution are compounding threats, as warming accelerates the release of long-stored microplastic reservoirs into ecosystems.
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.