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Pristine Antarctic fjords contain similar levels of microplastics to open oceans near big civilisations
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Microplastics were detected in a pristine Antarctic fjord recently exposed by glacier retreat at concentrations comparable to open ocean waters near heavily populated regions, demonstrating that even newly revealed polar environments are already contaminated. This finding confirms that microplastic pollution is now truly global, reaching the most remote and ecologically sensitive habitats on Earth.
Preliminary results of a study have shown microplastics have reached in a newly revealed Antarctic environment.
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Far more microplastics floating in oceans than thought
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A new sampling method revealed that southern ocean microplastic concentrations are 37 times higher than previously estimated, suggesting that existing models have dramatically underestimated the scale of plastic pollution in Earth's most remote marine environments.
We estimate up to 14 million tonnes of microplastics lie on the seafloor. It’s worse than we thought
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Deep-sea sediment sampling estimates up to 14 million tonnes of microplastics have accumulated on the ocean floor, roughly 35 times the estimated weight of plastic floating on the ocean surface. This finding fundamentally changes the understanding of where plastic pollution resides and suggests the long-term ecological burden on marine ecosystems is far greater than surface measurements have indicated.
Microplastics sully Antarctic snow — and science might be to blame
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Researchers found microplastic contamination in Antarctic snow, with evidence suggesting that scientists and research station workers — through their clothing, gear, and equipment — may themselves be a significant source of this pollution in one of Earth's most remote regions. The finding highlights how human presence, even in pristine areas, leaves a plastic footprint.
Millions of tonnes of nanoplastics are polluting the ocean
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Researchers highlight that millions of tonnes of nanoplastics smaller than a human hair are polluting the ocean, with these particles capable of passing through cell walls and entering the marine food web with poorly understood consequences.
Nanoplastics make up most of the plastic pollutants in the North Atlantic Ocean
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A landmark field study documented pervasive nanoplastic pollution throughout the North Atlantic Ocean, revealing that these invisible particles make up a large fraction of all plastic debris in open ocean waters. The findings raise urgent questions about what nanoscale plastics are doing to marine ecosystems and the seafood that humans ultimately consume.
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.