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Characterizing Microplastic Pollution in Mammoth Cave National Park
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Researchers characterized microplastic pollution inside Mammoth Cave National Park, finding that visitor clothing lint and other anthropogenic inputs contaminate even protected cave environments. The findings illustrate that microplastics penetrate remote and enclosed ecosystems far from urban centers, challenging the notion that protected areas can serve as microplastic-free reference environments.
Lint contamination from visitors’ clothing is a well-known issue in tourist cav...
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Characterizing Microplastic Pollution in Mammoth Cave National Park
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An initial survey of Mammoth Cave National Park—the world's longest cave system and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—found microplastics in cave stream water and sediments, including in areas distant from tourist activity. The detection of microplastics in this protected karst environment highlights the vulnerability of cave ecosystems to surface contamination and the capacity of groundwater systems to transport plastic particles deep underground.
Cave Sediment Stores Microplastic Pollution in Subsurface Environments
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Researchers sampled water and flood sediments in a Missouri limestone cave and found microplastics in all 34 samples, with sediment concentrations roughly 100 times higher than water, indicating that cave sediments act as significant microplastic sinks. Contamination decreased with depth into the cave, pointing to human activity near the entrance as the primary source of pollution entering the karst system.
A Study on the Impact of Microplastics on Cave Sediments
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Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in cave sediments, finding that these underground geological environments are accumulating microplastic particles despite their isolation from direct anthropogenic activity. Cave sediments serve as unexplored archives of environmental contamination, and their microplastic content demonstrates that pollution has penetrated even the most remote and seemingly pristine geological ecosystems on Earth.
Identification of Microplastics in Sediment Deposits Along a Commercialized and Non-commercialized Segment of Racoon Mountain Caverns: a Tale of Two Tours
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Researchers found microplastics in sediment deposits inside Raccoon Mountain Caverns, a freshwater cave system, with levels varying between commercially toured and less-visited sections — suggesting human foot traffic may contribute to microplastic contamination even in underground environments.
Microplastic Contamination of a Karst Spring During Flooding
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Researchers tracked microplastic levels in a karst spring during a flood event and found concentrations fluctuated dramatically — reaching up to 107 particles per liter — suggesting that heavy rain can flush significant amounts of plastic into groundwater sources used for drinking water.
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.