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Microplastics in the cryosphere - a potential time bomb?
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The study reviews the presence of microplastics in the cryosphere, including snow, glaciers, sea ice, and permafrost, noting that microplastic fibers from human clothing and activities can travel long distances through the atmosphere. Researchers warn that trapped microplastics may reduce ice albedo and accelerate melting, and that glacial ice could store these particles for thousands of years before releasing them.
Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in many parts of the world in snow, hail, sea ice, glaciers, and permafrost. The ubiquity of microplastic around the globe means that there is a need to focus on its circulation dynamics in the Earth's diverse ecosystems; the prominence of MP fibers, which has been indicated as of human clothing and activities, in high altitude frozen water is explained by their enhanced suspension in the air, allowing them to be transported over long distances from urban centers. The MP particles can act as nucleation centers for ice crystals and, once incorporated, reduce the albedo (reflective capacity) of the frozen mass, causing temperature increases. However, cores have indicated that ice in glaciers may remain frozen for thousands of years. This article reviews the quantities and types of MPs that have been detected in snow, hail, sea ice, and glaciers. The potential for release of these, as well as MPs in the permafrost, following global warming, is discussed. As the global warming process evolves, these sites will act as additional sources of MPs accumulated over the course of recent human history. It is important to be aware of the future entry of microplastic into the global environment from these sources, especially into the already fragile extreme ecosystems of the cryosphere.
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Micro- and nano-plastics in the global cryosphere: sources, transport, distribution, and impacts
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Tiny plastic bits called micro- and nano-plastics have been found in snow and ice from the Arctic, Antarctic, and mountain glaciers, mostly carried there through the air and settling like invisible dust. This review of existing studies shows that as this ice and snow melts, it can release years of stored plastic pollution into rivers, oceans, and food chains all at once—meaning frozen regions aren't just collecting plastic, they're also quietly saving it up to release later, with unclear but concerning effects on wildlife, ecosystems, and potentially the food we eat.
A review of microplastic contamination in the cryosphere
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This review synthesizes current knowledge on microplastic occurrence, sources, and transport in cryospheric environments including Antarctica, the Arctic, and high-altitude regions like the Andes and Alps. Microplastics reach these remote areas primarily via atmospheric and hydrological transport, accumulate in snow and ice as temporary sinks, and are released during melt events — threatening downstream ecosystems.
Cryosphere as a temporal sink and source of microplastics in the Arctic region
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This review examined the Arctic cryosphere as both a sink and source of microplastics, showing that sea ice, snow, and permafrost store significant quantities of microplastics that are increasingly released into the environment as climate warming accelerates.
Current status and future perspectives of microplastic pollution in typical cryospheric regions
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This review summarizes microplastic contamination across cryospheric regions including the Arctic, Antarctic, Alps, and Tibetan Plateau, highlighting atmospheric transport as a key pathway and sea ice as an important temporary reservoir for microplastics.
Effects of Microplastics in the Cryosphere
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Microplastics have been detected at surprisingly high concentrations in cryosphere environments including glaciers, sea ice, and polar snow, where they accumulate through atmospheric deposition and meltwater dynamics. The shrinking of cryosphere regions due to climate change may release stored microplastics back into oceans and freshwater systems, compounding global pollution burdens.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.