We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Horizontal distribution of surface microplastic concentrations and water-column microplastic inventories in the Chukchi Sea, western Arctic Ocean
Summary
Researchers mapped the horizontal distribution of microplastics in the Chukchi Sea of the western Arctic Ocean, providing the first water-column microplastic inventory for this region and revealing significant contamination even in remote polar waters experiencing rapid sea-ice loss.
The recent influx of microplastics into the Arctic Ocean may increase environmental stress on the western Arctic marine ecosystem, which is experiencing significant sea-ice loss due to global warming. Quantitative data on microplastics in the western Arctic Ocean are very limited, and the microplastic budget of the water column is completely unknown. To fill in gaps in our knowledge of Arctic microplastics, we observed surface concentrations (number of particles per unit volume of seawater) of meso- and microplastics using a neuston net, and we observed wind speeds and significant wave heights in the Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait, and Bering Sea. From these observations, we estimated the total number (particle inventory) and mass (mass inventory) of microplastics in the entire water column by taking into account the effect of vertical mixing. The particle inventory of microplastics in the Chukchi Sea ranged from 0 to 18,815 pieces km-2 with a mean and standard deviation of 5236 ± 6127 pieces km-2. The mass inventory ranged from 0 to 445 g km-2 with a mean and standard deviation of 124 ± 145 g km-2. Mean particle inventories for the Chukchi Sea were one-thirtieth of those for the Arctic Ocean on the Atlantic side and less than one-tenth of the average for the global ocean, suggesting that the Chukchi Sea is less polluted. However, the annual flux of microplastics from the Pacific Ocean into the Chukchi Sea, estimated from microplastic concentrations in the Bering Strait, was about 5.5 times greater than the total amount of microplastic in the entire Chukchi Sea water. This suggests that microplastic inflows from the Pacific Ocean are accumulating in large amounts in reservoirs other than the Chukchi Sea water (e.g., sea ice and seafloor sediments) or in the downstream regions of the Pacific-origin water.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Microplastics in Arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples
Researchers reported some of the first measured values for microplastic particles in Arctic polar waters, finding contamination even in these remote high-latitude waters and raising questions about long-range transport mechanisms.
Microplastics in Surface Waters of the Russian Arctic Seas: Distribution, Concentration, Identification, and Eco-Risks for Fish
Microplastics were detected across surface waters of the Russian Arctic seas, with concentrations and polymer types varying by region and season. The findings document that even high-latitude Arctic waters are not spared from microplastic contamination, likely transported by ocean currents and rivers.
Abundance and distribution of microplastics in the surface sediments from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas
This study documented the first records of microplastic contamination in surface sediments from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas, including waters near Arctic Alaska, finding widespread but variable particle abundances. The findings confirm that even high-latitude Arctic seafloor sediments receive microplastic input, likely transported by ocean currents from distant sources.
Microplastic contamination in the western Arctic water column: A transition from pristine to polluted
Researchers collected 324 water column samples from the western Arctic Ocean using a CTD rosette (9-297 m depth) and detected microplastics in all areas at an average of 0.06 particles/L. Blue fibrous polyolefin microplastics dominated, with highest concentrations in the Beaufort Sea, indicating that the western Arctic is transitioning from a relatively pristine to a measurably polluted state.
Microplastics Distribution within Western Arctic Seawater and Sea Ice
Researchers investigated microplastic distribution in seawater and sea ice of the western Canadian Arctic, including the previously unstudied Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area. The study found microplastic contamination throughout the region while highlighting gaps in existing Arctic microplastic data.