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Transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastic particles by a North Atlantic hurricane
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During Hurricane Larry in 2021, researchers collected atmospheric samples over Newfoundland and found that the storm deposited over 113,000 microplastic particles per square meter per day. Analysis suggests the particles were picked up from the North Atlantic garbage patch as the hurricane passed over it. This study shows that major storms can transport ocean microplastics through the air to remote areas, expanding the reach of plastic pollution.
Abstract The atmosphere can transport large quantities of microplastics and disperse them throughout the globe to locations inaccessible by many other transport mechanisms. Meteorological events have been proven to pick up and transport particulate matter, however, how they influence the transport and deposition of atmospheric microplastics is still poorly understood. Here we present samples of atmospheric fallout collected during Hurricane Larry as it passed over Newfoundland, Canada in September 2021. During the storm peak, 1.13 × 10 5 particles m −2 day −1 were deposited, with a decline in deposition after the storm passed. Back-trajectory modelling and polymer type analysis indicate that those microplastics may have been ocean-sourced as the hurricane traversed the garbage patch of the North Atlantic Gyre. This study identifies the influence of North Atlantic hurricanes on the atmospheric transport and deposition of ocean-sourced microplastics and the possible consequences of increased exposure to microplastics in remote areas.
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