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Let it glow! Adapting a method to detect microplastics in snow and evaluate the potential for long-range transport
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This Norwegian thesis adapted existing microplastic detection methods for snow samples using Nile Red fluorescence dye, evaluating potential for tracking long-range atmospheric transport of microplastics. The work contributes to harmonizing methods for studying airborne microplastic deposition in cold environments.
Harmonization of methods in microplastics research is lacking; this is affecting the comparability of results and hindering reproducibility. Investigating microplastics in snow is a relatively new field of research, and it can be used to answer questions about long-range atmospheric transport of microplastics. In this thesis, snow sampling methods were combined with the dye, Nile Red, to develop a method to identify and quantify microplastics in snow. There was an emphasis on quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA), and blank samples were taken throughout the sampling and laboratory procedures. To test and validate the method, a study was performed in northern Norway to compare urban and rural locations. In addition to the field samples, laboratory testing was done by staining know plastic polymers and excluding possible staining of different organic material occurring in snow. We found that the urban locations contained a significantly higher mean number of microplastics per liter of snow compared to rural locations, 694 ± 375 (mean ± S.E.) particles L-1 snow vs. 432 ± 386 particles L-1 snow, respectively. The most substantial proportion of microplastics was in the lowest size class (22-50 µm) for both rural and urban locations. This protocol provides a simple and effective method that can be applied anywhere and could increase the comparability of results.
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The utility of monitoring snow for microplastics in the Arctic: a pilot study from Iqaluktuuttiaq, Nunavut
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Researchers collected Arctic snow samples at increasing distances from the community of Iqaluktuuttiaq, Nunavut, finding microplastics at every location using pyrolysis–GC/MS analysis. Polymer types differed between sites close to the community and more remote sites, suggesting both local human activity and long-range atmospheric transport contribute to contamination. The findings support using snow as a low-cost monitoring tool to track how microplastics reach even remote polar regions.
Blown to the North?: microplastic in snow fallen out from the atmosphere of Europe and the Arctic
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Researchers detected microplastics in snow collected across Arctic and European locations, providing evidence that the atmosphere transports microplastics over long distances and deposits them in remote environments far from human activity.
Diverse and high pollution of microplastics in seasonal snow across Northeastern China
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Microplastics were characterized in seasonal snow across northeastern China using Nile Red staining and micro-FTIR, finding diverse polymer types and shapes with mean concentrations reflecting the region's high industrial activity and snow scavenging of atmospheric MPs.
Snow as an indicator of atmospheric transport of anthropogenic particles (microplastics and microfibers) from urban to Arctic regions
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Researchers collected snow samples from urban Toronto, remote regions of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and the unpopulated high Arctic to track atmospheric transport of microplastics. They found anthropogenic particles, including microplastics and microfibers, present in snow across all locations, with concentrations decreasing from urban to Arctic areas. The study provides evidence that microplastics are transported long distances through the atmosphere and deposited even in the most remote regions of the planet.
Exploring microplastic distribution in Western North American snow
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This study measured microplastic presence in snowfall across 11 sites along the western coastal North American range to infer atmospheric transport patterns. Microplastics were detected at all sites, with concentrations and polymer types reflecting regional emission sources and long-range atmospheric transport.
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