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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Polar pollution: protecting Antarctic marine ecosystems from microplastics
ClearMicroplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research
This paper reviewed microplastics research in the Antarctic marine system, identifying it as an emerging research area and documenting the first evidence of microplastic contamination in this remote polar environment.
Microplastics in polar regions: An early warning to the world's pristine ecosystem
This review summarized evidence for microplastic contamination in Arctic and Antarctic environments — including water, sea ice, sediment, and biota — characterizing polar regions as sinks for globally transported plastic particles and calling for improved monitoring to track long-term trends.
Microplastic Interactions and Possible Combined Biological Effects in Antarctic Marine Ecosystems
This review examined microplastic interactions and potential combined biological effects in Antarctic marine ecosystems, highlighting how even remote polar environments face increasing threats from plastic debris transported from lower latitudes and local human activities.
Microplastic Pollution in Antarctic Environments
This review examines microplastic pollution in Antarctic environments, summarizing evidence that even this remote continent has been contaminated by plastic particles, with implications for its unique fauna, influence on global climate systems, and value as a pristine scientific reference site.
Plastic occurrence, sources, and impacts in Antarctic environment and biota
Researchers reviewed evidence of plastic pollution in Antarctica, finding microplastics — mostly fibers — in sea ice, ocean water, sediments, and both marine and land animals, raising concern that even the most remote ecosystems on Earth are contaminated and that biodiversity and ecosystem functions may be at risk.
Pollution Has No Borders: Microplastics in Antarctica
This review documents the spread of microplastics throughout Antarctica -- in seawater, sediments, freshwater lakes, snow, glaciers, and marine organisms -- despite the continent having minimal local pollution sources. The findings demonstrate that microplastic contamination is truly global, reaching even the most isolated ecosystems on Earth through atmospheric and ocean currents.
Occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in Antarctica and its impact on the health of organisms
This review summarizes existing research on microplastic pollution in Antarctica, covering how these tiny plastic particles reach even the most remote environments through fishing, tourism, and ocean currents. Despite Antarctica being considered pristine, microplastics have been found in both water and sediment across the region. The findings highlight that no place on Earth is free from microplastic contamination, raising concerns about effects on wildlife and ecosystems that are connected to global food chains.
Environmental contamination and climate change in Antarctic ecosystems: an updated overview
This review provides an updated overview of environmental contamination and climate change impacts on Antarctic ecosystems. While brief, the topic is relevant to microplastic research because Antarctica, once considered pristine, has been found to contain microplastics, highlighting just how far-reaching global plastic pollution has become.
Understanding the new threat of microplastic pollution in the Ross Sea: a review
This review summarized what is known about microplastic pollution in the Ross Sea near Antarctica, one of the world's most remote and ecologically important ocean regions. The study raises alarm that even this protected area is contaminated, threatening its pristine ecosystem and the unique species that depend on it.
Microplastic Pollution in the Polar Oceans – A Review
Microplastic pollution has reached even the remote Arctic and Antarctic polar oceans, making it a truly global environmental problem. This review summarizes what is known about polar microplastic contamination, highlights a surge in plastic waste linked to COVID-19-era demand, and calls for more research on how these particles affect polar ecosystems.
Distribution characteristics of microplastics in surface and subsurface Antarctic seawater
Researchers characterized microplastic distribution in both surface and subsurface Antarctic seawater, finding plastic contamination present at multiple depths and dominated by fibers and fragments, highlighting that even remote polar waters are affected by plastic pollution.
Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Antarctica. Considerations on Their Impact on Ecosystems and Human and Fauna Health
This review examines the current state of knowledge about microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in Antarctica, assessing concentrations detected in air, water, sediment, and biota across the continent. The authors discuss the vulnerability of polar ecosystems to plastic pollution and the challenges of attribution given long-range atmospheric and oceanic transport pathways.
The Microplastics Occurrence and Toxic Effects in Marine Environment
This review examines the occurrence routes and toxic effects of microplastics in marine environments, documenting contamination even in previously pristine areas such as Arctic and Antarctic oceans and highlighting the broad ecological impacts on marine ecosystems.
High Abundances of Microplastic Pollution in Deep-Sea Sediments: Evidence from Antarctica and the Southern Ocean
Microplastic pollution was investigated in deep-sea sediments from Antarctic and Southern Ocean regions, finding high abundances that varied among sites. The study confirmed that microplastics are accumulating in the remote Antarctic deep-sea environment, with evidence going back to scientific literature from the 1980s that has accelerated in recent years.
Pollution in Antarctica
This overview documents microplastic pollution in Antarctica, summarizing evidence of contamination in seawater, sea ice, sediment, snow, and wildlife despite Antarctica's remoteness, highlighting that long-range atmospheric and oceanic transport delivers plastics to even the most pristine environments.
Exploring potential effects of microplastic contamination in Antarctic soils
Researchers reviewed the potential effects of microplastic contamination in Antarctic soils, synthesizing available evidence on microplastic occurrence, polymer composition, and ecological impacts in one of Earth's most pristine terrestrial environments. The review found that microplastics are present even in remote Antarctic soil ecosystems and may pose risks to soil invertebrates and microbial communities that underpin fragile polar food webs.
Microplastics in Antarctic air: revealing current findings
This review examines the growing body of evidence on microplastic air pollution in Antarctica, one of the most remote places on Earth. Researchers found that both micro- and nanoplastics have been detected in Antarctic air, posing potential threats to this fragile ecosystem and its freshwater reserves. The study emphasizes that global action to reduce microplastic emissions is essential, since these particles can travel vast distances through the atmosphere.
Macroplastics at sea around Antarctica
Researchers conducted the first coordinated survey of macroplastic debris at sea around Antarctica during the 2007/08 austral summer, documenting the presence of plastic items in Antarctic waters despite the region's remoteness from major population centers. The findings demonstrate that plastic pollution has reached even the most isolated ocean environments and highlight the role of ocean circulation in transporting debris to polar regions.
Assessing the current state of plastic pollution research in Antarctica: Knowledge gaps and recommendations
This review assessed the current state of research on plastic pollution in Antarctica, one of the most remote regions on Earth. Researchers found that despite its isolation, plastic contamination has been detected across Antarctic environments and wildlife, though significant knowledge gaps remain. The study recommends standardized sampling methods and more comprehensive monitoring to better understand the true extent of plastic pollution in Antarctic ecosystems.
Advocating microbial diversity conservation in Antarctica
This review highlights how human activities, tourism, and climate change are threatening Antarctica's unique microbial ecosystems, with microplastics now reaching even this remote continent. While focused on conservation, the study underscores that microplastic pollution is truly global in scale, contaminating environments far from any source of plastic production.
Occurrence and Distribution of Microplastics in Soils and Intertidal Sediments at Fildes Bay, Maritime Antarctica
Researchers found microplastic contamination in soils and intertidal sediments at Fildes Bay in Maritime Antarctica, with higher concentrations near research stations, demonstrating that even remote polar environments are affected by microplastic pollution.
Modelling the transport of microplastic pollution across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
This modeling study tracked how microplastic pollution moves across the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The simulations suggest that despite its remoteness, the Southern Ocean receives and retains significant quantities of microplastics transported from lower latitudes.
Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives
This review assesses macro- and microplastic contamination in Antarctica, finding that despite environmental protections, coastal areas near research stations and tourist sites show plastic pollution, and calls for standardized monitoring methods to improve data comparability.
Microplastic pollution in a rapidly changing world: Implications for remote and vulnerable marine ecosystems
Researchers reviewed the growing body of evidence on microplastic pollution reaching remote and vulnerable marine ecosystems far from major human activities. The study highlights that these ecosystems, already under stress from climate change, face additional threats from microplastic contamination whose long-term biological and ecological effects remain poorly understood.