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CHARACTERIZATION OF MICROPLASTICS IN A MELTWATER STREAM IN FILDES PENINSULA (KING GEORGE ISLAND, ANTARCTICA)

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) 2022 Score: 35 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Evelyn Krojmal, Miguel González-Pleiter Camila Vidal, Evelyn Krojmal, Bárbara De Feo, Camila Vidal, Camila Vidal, Miguel González-Pleiter Bárbara De Feo, Gissell Lacerot, Gissell Lacerot, Miguel González-Pleiter Evelyn Krojmal, Gissell Lacerot, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Gissell Lacerot, Gissell Lacerot, Gissell Lacerot, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Evelyn Krojmal, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Evelyn Krojmal, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Bárbara De Feo, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Gissell Lacerot, Gissell Lacerot, Gissell Lacerot, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Bárbara De Feo, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Evelyn Krojmal, Gissell Lacerot, Gissell Lacerot, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Evelyn Krojmal, Evelyn Krojmal, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Evelyn Krojmal, Miguel González-Pleiter Franco Teixeira de Mello, Alejandro Ramos, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Evelyn Krojmal, Evelyn Krojmal, Miguel González-Pleiter Camila Vidal, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Franco Teixeira de Mello, Miguel González-Pleiter Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Alejandro Ramos, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Camila Vidal, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Camila Vidal, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Juan Pablo Lozoya, Miguel González-Pleiter Gissell Lacerot, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Evelyn Krojmal, Miguel González-Pleiter Franco Teixeira de Mello, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Alejandro Ramos, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Franco Teixeira de Mello, Gissell Lacerot, Alejandro Ramos, Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Miguel González-Pleiter Franco Teixeira de Mello, Miguel González-Pleiter

Summary

Researchers characterized microplastic contamination in a meltwater stream on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, documenting plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in a remote polar environment affected by growing human activities from scientific bases and tourism.

Human activities in Antarctica have increased due to the establishment of scientific bases, marine traffic, and tourism, which have led to the production of high amounts of waste, particularly plastics and microplastics (MPs, plastic particles ¡ 5 mm). At the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica), where the Artigas Antarctic Scientific Base (BCAA) is located, numerous intermittent meltwater streams flow into Maxwell Bay. They are exposed to human activities derived from their proximity to scientific bases, refuges and roads, but very little is known about their characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of MPs and to characterize them in a meltwater stream located in the surroundings of the BCAA during one month of the southern summer, for three consecutive years (2020 to 2022). Samples were taken with a Surber net and digested with KOH 10%. MPs were measured and classified according to their morphology and color using a stereomicroscope with polarized light and their polymeric composition was evaluated with microFTIR. During the three years MPs were detected in all samples taken, reaching their highest density in 2020 with 0.69 ± 0.35 items.m-3. The MPs found were mainly fibers and fragments, but also foams and paint fragments. The main polymers were polyester and rayon in fibers, polyethylene terephthalate and acrylic in fibers and fragments, and polystyrene in foams. MPs contamination in the stream could be related to human activities taking place in the BCAA, but also arriving from the glacier by meltwater drag and wind action from more distant areas. In this study, we have been able to detect and quantify the flux of MPs from land to the coastal-marine environment, identifying different polymers over time, which poses a potential risk to the macroinvertebrate fauna of both the stream and the coastal-marine zone. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/427255/document

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