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White and wonderful? Microplastics prevail in snow from the Alps to the Arctic
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Microplastics were detected in 20 of 21 snow samples ranging from Arctic sea ice to Alpine and German urban environments, with concentrations significantly higher in European snow (up to 154,000 particles/L) than Arctic snow, and varnish, rubber, polyethylene, and polyamide as dominant polymers. The study confirms atmospheric transport as a major pathway for delivering microplastics to remote Arctic environments.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous, and considerable quantities prevail even in the Arctic; however, there are large knowledge gaps regarding pathways to the North. To assess whether atmospheric transport plays a role, we analyzed snow samples from ice floes in Fram Strait. For comparison, we investigated snow samples from remote (Swiss Alps) and populated (Bremen, Bavaria) European sites. MPs were identified by Fourier transform infrared imaging in 20 of 21 samples. The MP concentration of Arctic snow was significantly lower (0 to 14.4 × 103 N liter-1) than European snow (0.19 × 103 to 154 × 103 N liter-1) but still substantial. Polymer composition varied strongly, but varnish, rubber, polyethylene, and polyamide dominated overall. Most particles were in the smallest size range indicating large numbers of particles below the detection limit of 11 μm. Our data highlight that atmospheric transport and deposition can be notable pathways for MPs meriting more research.
More Papers Like This
Microplastic in snow from European and Arctic sites
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Microplastics and fibers were found in snow from Arctic sea ice, Svalbard, Helgoland, Bavaria, and the Swiss Alps — identified by FTIR imaging — with Arctic concentrations significantly lower than European snow but still substantial. The study demonstrates atmospheric long-range transport of microplastics, including rubber and varnish particles, to remote environments far from pollution sources.
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.
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.
On the nature and sources of microplastics (MPs) and microrubbers (MRs) in urban snow
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Researchers characterized microplastics and microrubber particles found in urban snowfall across five sites in central Iran. Using microscopy and atmospheric trajectory modeling, they determined that both local sources and long-range atmospheric transport contributed to the contamination. The study demonstrates that snow acts as a collector of airborne microplastic pollution and can reveal the mix of nearby and distant pollution sources affecting a region.
Microplastic Contamination in Snow from Western Italian Alps
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Researchers sampled residual snow from four locations in the Western Italian Alps and confirmed the presence of microplastics at concentrations averaging 2.32 particles per liter. The study found polyethylene was the most common polymer, and the results suggest that microplastics reach remote mountain environments through atmospheric deposition and local human activities.
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.