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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics in Southern Ocean sea ice: a pan-Antarctic perspective
ClearMicroplastic contamination in east Antarctic sea ice
Researchers analyzed an ice core from East Antarctic land-fast sea ice using micro-FTIR spectroscopy, finding 96 microplastic particles dominated by polyester and polypropylene, providing direct evidence that microplastics are incorporated into Antarctic sea ice.
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.
Floating macro- and microplastics around the Southern Ocean: Results from the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition
Researchers surveyed floating macro- and microplastic pollution around the Southern Ocean islands, providing baseline abundance estimates for high southern latitudes. The data reveal that plastic contamination extends even to remote polar regions, with seabirds in the area confirmed to have been ingesting plastics since at least the 1960s.
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 in the Southern Ocean: Findings from the Continuous Plankton Recorder in the Ross Sea and the East Antarctic Regions
This study found microplastics widely distributed in surface waters of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica, collected via continuous plankton recorder samples. The detection of plastics in these remote polar waters confirms that microplastic contamination has reached essentially every corner of the global ocean.
Microplastics in the sediments of Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica)
The first survey of plastic contamination in Antarctic seafloor sediments from Terra Nova Bay found microplastics in all 31 samples collected, with a diverse range of polymer types. This confirms that even remote polar deep-sea sediments are not free of human-derived plastic pollution.
Microplastics 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.
Nanoplastics measurements in Northern and Southern polar ice
Researchers measured nanoplastic concentrations in polar ice from both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. They detected nanoplastic particles in ice samples from both poles, confirming that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote environments on Earth. The study demonstrates that nanoplastics are now a globally distributed contaminant, present even in pristine polar regions far from major population centers.
Microplastics in sea ice and seawater beneath ice floes from the Arctic Ocean
Microplastic concentrations in Arctic sea ice were orders of magnitude higher than in the underlying seawater, with 2 to 17 particles per liter in ice versus 0 to 18 particles per cubic meter beneath floes in the Central Basin. Backward trajectory modeling suggested the sea ice originated from the Siberian shelf and other Arctic regions, consistent with long-range transport of microplastics to the pole.
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.
Nanoplastics measurements in Northern and Southern Polar Ice
Researchers measured nanoplastics in ice cores from both the Arctic and Antarctic, confirming that even the most remote polar regions contain plastic nanoparticles. This finding shows that nanoplastics have reached every corner of the planet through atmospheric and oceanic transport.
Nanoplastic concentration and potential transport in the Arctic Ocean
Researchers conducted the first multi-matrix, multi-site assessment of nanoplastics across the Arctic Ocean and found polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene nanoplastics widely distributed from the Svalbard region to the central Arctic. Concentrations ranged up to 900 nanograms per liter, with higher levels in snow and surface ice than at the ice-sea interface, suggesting that sea ice acts as a temporary reservoir and secondary source of nanoplastic redistribution.
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.
The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination across air, seawater, and sediment samples in the Antarctic Weddell Sea and identified 47 distinct microplastic categories, predominantly fibers. The overlap of fiber types across different sample media suggests that microplastics reach Antarctica through multiple transportation pathways, including atmospheric and oceanic currents. The study demonstrates that even one of the most remote regions on Earth is affected by diffuse microplastic pollution from global sources.
Marine litter, microplastic pollution and organic additives assessments in polar areas through an opportunistic cruise ship-based approach
A cruise-based survey found microplastics in 100% of surface water, sediment, and ice samples collected across both the western Arctic and the Antarctic Peninsula, with floating microplastic densities reaching over 314,000 items/km² in Antarctica, and also detected organo-phosphate and phthalate chemical additives for the first time in Antarctic waters. The findings confirm that even the most remote polar regions on Earth are now substantially contaminated with microplastics and their associated chemical pollutants.
Microplastics in landfast sea ice of Alaskan Arctic: Characteristics and potential sources
Microplastics were found at concentrations averaging 221 particles per liter in Alaskan Arctic landfast sea ice, with over 80% of particles smaller than 50 micrometers — small enough to be readily ingested by marine organisms. The sea ice near Barrow acts as a seasonal reservoir that traps microplastics from Pacific Ocean currents and then releases them when the ice melts, exposing Arctic marine ecosystems to a pulse of pollution each spring. The dominance of polyamide and polyethylene points to fishing gear and packaging waste as primary sources.
Distribution and impacts of microplastic incorporation within sea ice
Researchers experimentally incorporated microplastics into sea ice to investigate their distribution and impact on ice properties, finding that microplastics concentrate within sea ice at levels far exceeding surface seawater and that their presence alters the physical and optical properties of the ice.
Occurrence and distribution patterns of small microplastics (11-500µm) in the southern weddell sea off antarctica
This study characterized small microplastics in the 11-500 micron range across the Southern Ocean south of the polar front, a region previously underrepresented in microplastic research due to the focus on larger particle sizes. Detection of these smaller particles confirms that even remote polar marine environments contain pervasive microplastic contamination.
Enrichment characteristics of microplastics in Antarctic benthic and pelagic fish and krill near the Antarctic Peninsula
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in 15 species of Antarctic fish and Antarctic krill collected near the Antarctic Peninsula. They found microplastics in all species studied, with fish accumulating significantly more particles than krill, and fibers being the most common type. The study demonstrates that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote marine ecosystems on Earth.
Occurrence and distribution patterns of small microplastics (11-500µm) in the southern weddell sea off antarctica
Researchers assessed small microplastics in the 11-500 micron size range in the Southern Ocean, a region considered remote and pristine, filling a gap left by prior studies that focused on larger particles. Microplastics were detected even in this remote marine environment, suggesting widespread dispersal beyond populated regions.
Microplastics in the Southern Ocean
Net tow surveys in the Southern Ocean in 2016 found 44 plastic pieces at five stations, confirming that microplastics reach even the remote Antarctic waters. The study computed total particle counts for the entire water column, providing a more complete estimate of microplastic burden than surface-only sampling.
Microplastics in Antarctica - a Plastic Legacy in the Antarctic Snow?
This study detected microplastics in snow from remote Antarctic locations including the South Pole, Union Glacier, and Schanz Glacier, finding concentrations of 73-3,099 MP/L with 95% of particles smaller than 50 micrometers. Refined automated FTIR analysis revealed that previous Antarctic microplastic reports likely underestimated contamination due to analytical size limitations.
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.
Modeling the Accumulation and Transport of Microplastics by Sea Ice
Researchers used numerical modeling to examine how positively and neutrally buoyant microplastics accumulate in and are transported by Arctic and Southern Ocean sea ice, finding that sea ice acts as a significant seasonal reservoir and redistribution mechanism for microplastic pollution in polar regions.