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Airborne and marine microplastics in the Southern Ocean environment
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Researchers collected atmospheric deposition and seawater samples during a voyage from New Zealand to the Ross Sea, Antarctica, and detected microplastics throughout the Southern Ocean, contributing rare data from one of the world's most remote regions to understanding atmospheric and marine plastic transport.
In recent years, microplastic transport through the atmosphere has gained interest. This pathway allows microplastics to reach remote regions of the world and draws attention to the impact which they may have on global climate processes and human health. Remote regions, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, are currently under-researched and the understanding of airborne microplastics still in its infancy. Atmospheric deposition and seawater samples were collected on board a RV Tangaroa voyage, which sailed from Wellington, New Zealand to the Ross Sea, Antarctica in January 2021. Marine and atmospheric microplastics were collected and analysed spectroscopically to confirm polymer composition. The findings from this study will be discussed, highlighting the ubiquitous nature of microplastics throughout the Southern Ocean. This study contributes a unique data set from a remote region of the world, and further develops our understanding of marine-atmosphere fluxes of microplastics.
More Papers Like This
Southern Ocean Cloud, Aerosol and Microplastic Data from the 2023 Ross Sea Antarctic Voyage
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Scientists sailed from New Zealand to Antarctica to measure air pollution, tiny plastic particles, and clouds over one of the most untouched parts of our planet—the Southern Ocean. They found microplastics floating in the air even in this remote region, showing that plastic pollution has spread nearly everywhere on Earth, including places far from cities and factories. This data will also help improve climate models, which currently struggle to accurately predict how clouds behave in this region—an issue that affects how well scientists can forecast future climate change.
Southern Ocean Cloud, Aerosol and Microplastic Data from the 2023 Ross Sea Antarctic Voyage
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Scientists sailed from New Zealand to Antarctica to measure air pollution, tiny plastic particles, and clouds over one of the most remote, "pristine" stretches of ocean on Earth. They found that even this far-flung region isn't free of airborne microplastics — a reminder that plastic pollution has spread nearly everywhere, including places far from cities and factories. This data will also help scientists build better climate models, since clouds over the Southern Ocean have been notoriously hard to predict, which matters for understanding future climate change.
Airborne microplastics in Antarctica and New Zealand.
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Researchers detected airborne microplastics at two remote sites in Antarctica and New Zealand, including in previously pristine regions far from human habitation. The presence of microplastics in Antarctic air demonstrates that atmospheric transport can carry plastic particles to even the most remote corners of the planet.
Airborne microplastic concentrations in remote coastal environments
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Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations at coastal sites in New Zealand near the Southern Ocean to assess whether sea-spray generates significant atmospheric plastic loads. Microplastics were detected at all coastal sampling locations despite the region's remoteness from plastic production, suggesting marine-to-atmosphere transfer is an important pathway even in pristine coastal environments.
Aerosol mass concentrations and dry/wet deposition of atmospheric microplastics at a remote coastal location in New Zealand
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Researchers quantified airborne microplastic concentrations at a remote coastal site in southern New Zealand using both active and passive sampling methods. They found plastics comprised at least 0.14% of total suspended particulate mass, with air trajectory analysis suggesting the Southern Ocean as a source. The study indicates that counting microplastics by number alone may significantly underestimate true atmospheric plastic pollution, since the smallest and most abundant particles escape microscopic detection.
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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.