Papers

Marine snow morphology illuminates the evolution of phytoplankton blooms and determines their subsequent vertical export

Researchers developed a method to automatically classify the shapes and structures of marine snow — clumps of organic particles that sink from the ocean surface and carry carbon to the deep sea. Understanding these particle shapes is important for predicting how much carbon the ocean can store, which affects global climate.

Nanoplastics: From model materials to colloidal fate

Détection et caractérisation des macro-, micro- et nanoplastiques dans l'estuaire et golfe du fleuve Saint-Laurent, Canada

This study provides a baseline characterization of macro-, micro-, and nanoplastic concentrations in the estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, using FTIR spectroscopy and mass quantification to assess particle fluxes and toxicological implications. The research fills a documentation gap for this major river system and establishes reference data for tracking plastic transport from freshwater to marine environments.

Detection and characterization of macro-, micro- and nanoplastics in the estuary and gulf of the St. Lawrence River, Canada

Researchers conducted a baseline assessment of macro-, micro-, and nanoplastic (MNP) concentrations in the estuary and Gulf of the St. Lawrence River, Canada, an understudied waterway that may play a significant role in transporting plastic debris from land to ocean. The study characterized macroplastics via FTIR spectroscopy and emphasized mass quantification as essential for accurately assessing MNP fluxes and toxicological risks.

Ecotoxicity of Heteroaggregates of Polystyrene Nanospheres in Chironomidae and Amphibian

Researchers examined the ecotoxicity of carboxylated polystyrene nanospheres (350 nm and 50 nm) and their heteroaggregates on freshwater Chironomidae larvae and amphibians, using exposure experiments to assess toxicity mechanisms in organisms with direct environmental contact with plastic-polluted freshwater. They found that heteroaggregation altered the bioavailability and toxicity profiles of the nanoplastics compared to pristine particles, with effects including developmental disruption and behavioral changes in exposed organisms.

Metals and microplastics, a multi-contamination in the environment: which planetary distribution?

This entry appears to be a brief conference or audience summary noting that metals and microplastics represent a multi-contamination challenge with global distribution. Insufficient detail is available to summarise specific research findings.

ArcticNet 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts

This is a multi-author conference abstracts collection from the 2021 ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting, covering diverse topics in Arctic ocean science including glaciology, oceanography, and ecology. Individual abstracts address topics such as tidewater glaciers and fjord oceanography in the Canadian High Arctic.