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Microplastics in the snow cover of the south of Western Siberia
Summary
Researchers detected microplastics in snow samples from the south of Western Siberia, Russia, confirming that atmospheric deposition is a significant pathway for microplastic entry into remote terrestrial environments. Fibers were the most common form found, likely originating from textiles.
Abstract Plastics production is growing all over the world, but the total emission of microplastics is unfortunately not reducing. In the external environment, plastics degrade over time. This leads to the appearance of smaller particles or fibers which are microplastics at sizes of less than 5 mm. Atmospheric transfer is for microplastics one of the main ways of entering the environment. The purpose of this study is to identify microplastics in the snow cover of the south of Western Siberia, as well as preliminarily assess the possible sources of their supply. Snow samples are taken during a period of maximum snow accumulation (March, 2020) according to requirements developed by the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. The microparticles are visually evaluated using a digital microscope, Dino-Lite AM211, a fluorescent dye solution, and a Wood lamp. To assess the possible atmospheric distribution and deposition of the particles, an analysis of the synoptic conditions based on data of NCEP/NCAR, ERA5, and HYSPLIT is performed. The microscopic analysis has shown that microplastics (namely, films, fibers, and granules) have been detected in 16 of the 18 snow samples in the city of Barnaul and adjacent territories, as well as fibers and granules have been revealed in 3 snow samples from the Kasmala River basin.