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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Citizen science in studying the microplastic pollution of the Russian Arctic
ClearCombining citizen and conventional science for microplastics monitoring in the White Sea basin (Russian Arctic)
Researchers combined citizen science volunteers with conventional scientific methods to document microplastic contamination across 13 remote locations in the White Sea basin of the Russian Arctic, finding plastic particles primarily composed of PE, PET, and PVC at average concentrations of 1.14 particles/m.
Citizen scientists reveal small but concentrated amounts of fragmented microplastic on Arctic beaches
Citizen scientists on Arctic tourist cruises collected beach sediment samples from Svalbard and found microplastics at all sites, with small but concentrated quantities of fragmented particles. The study confirms that even remote Arctic beaches are contaminated with microplastics, likely transported from distant sources, and demonstrates the value of citizen science for expanding monitoring coverage in hard-to-reach regions.
Where does Arctic beach debris come from? Analyzing debris composition and provenance on Svalbard aided by citizen scientists
Citizen scientists helped researchers collect and analyze marine debris on beaches in Svalbard, a remote Arctic archipelago. By examining the composition and origin of the debris, the team identified both local sources and evidence of long-distance oceanic transport bringing plastic waste to the Arctic. The study demonstrates how citizen science can expand data collection in remote regions and improve our understanding of how plastic pollution reaches even the most isolated environments.
Arctic Plastic Coasts: 7 years investigating beach litter in the Arctic through citizen science
Researchers conducted a seven-year citizen science survey of beach litter across Arctic coastlines from Jan Mayen to Svalbard and Greenland, finding that marine litter on Svalbard and Jan Mayen is dominated by material from oceanic fisheries while Greenland's plastic pollution is primarily from local sources.
Arctic Plastic Coasts: 7 years investigating beach litter in the Arctic through citizen science
Researchers conducted a seven-year citizen science survey of beach litter across Arctic coastlines from Jan Mayen to Svalbard and Greenland, finding that marine litter on Svalbard and Jan Mayen is dominated by material from oceanic fisheries while Greenland's plastic pollution is primarily from local sources.
Microplastics in Surface Waters of the Russian Arctic Seas: Distribution, Concentration, Identification, and Eco-Risks for Fish
Microplastics were detected across surface waters of the Russian Arctic seas, with concentrations and polymer types varying by region and season. The findings document that even high-latitude Arctic waters are not spared from microplastic contamination, likely transported by ocean currents and rivers.
Testing citizen science as a tool for monitoring surface water microplastics
Researchers tested citizen science as a monitoring method for surface water microplastics in the Baltic Sea using a custom manta trawl aboard a sailing vessel, sampling at seven locations and finding microplastic concentrations from 0.45 to 1.98 MP/m², and evaluated the viability of integrating citizen science into large-scale MP monitoring programs.
Validating citizen science for community-driven microplastic monitoring and marine protection in Northeast Iceland's Hope Spot
Researchers ran a 5-year citizen science program (2019–2023) in Northeast Iceland's Hope Spot using low-tech sampling devices aboard whale-watching and expedition vessels to monitor meso- and microplastic pollution. MPs were present in 86% of trawl samples at an average density of 0.02 particles/m², validating citizen science as a viable tool for monitoring MP pollution in under-sampled Arctic waters.
Microplastics quantification in surface waters of the Barents, Kara and White Seas
This study measured microplastic concentrations in the surface waters of the White, Barents, and Kara Seas in the Arctic, finding particularly high levels off the coast of Novaya Zemlya. The detection of microplastics in these remote Arctic waters confirms that ocean currents carry plastic pollution to polar regions far from the original sources.
Estimation of plastic waste accumulation in the Arctic
Researchers analyzed sources, spatial distribution patterns, and mass transfer dynamics of plastic and microplastic pollution in the Arctic, proposing plastic waste management approaches and a community-based monitoring program to track microplastic accumulation across Arctic regions.
The potential contribution of citizen science data in the study of coastal microplastic and mesoplastic distributions
Researchers analyzed citizen science data from the Big Microplastic Survey to assess the potential contribution of volunteer-collected observations to understanding coastal microplastic and mesoplastic distribution patterns, evaluating data quality and spatial coverage relative to conventional scientific monitoring.
Abundance and composition of near surface microplastics and plastic debris in the Stockholm Archipelago, Baltic Sea
This study combined professional manta trawl sampling and citizen science transect surveys to characterize microplastic abundance and composition in the Stockholm Archipelago and Baltic Sea. The results provide baseline data on plastic contamination in Baltic surface waters and demonstrate that citizen science can complement formal monitoring efforts.
Monitoring litter on Arctic and subarctic shorelines: current status and next steps for monitoring programs
This review examines the current state of marine litter monitoring on Arctic and subarctic shorelines and recommends steps toward harmonized pan-Arctic monitoring protocols, including community-based monitoring, crowdsourced science programs, and science team surveys to enable detection of long-term plastic pollution trends.
First evidence of microplastic occurrence in the marine and freshwater environments in a remote polar region of the Kola Peninsula and a correlation with human presence
Researchers documented the first evidence of microplastic contamination — both fibers and fragments — in the marine waters of the Barents Sea and remote freshwater lakes of the Kola Peninsula, with levels correlating to the degree of local human activity.
Microplastics in the Arctic: a transect through the Barents Sea
Researchers collected large-volume sub-surface water samples along transects through the Barents Sea to quantify and characterize microplastics, examining the role of regional ocean currents in concentrating plastic debris. The study contributes baseline data on microplastic distribution in this productive Arctic marginal sea mooted as a potential sixth ocean gyre for plastic accumulation.
Microplastic detectives: a citizen-science project reveals large variation in meso- and microplastic pollution along German coastlines
A citizen science project recruited volunteers to sample meso- and microplastics along German Baltic and North Sea coastlines, achieving spatial coverage far beyond what scientific teams alone could accomplish. Large variation in plastic pollution was found across sites, with some areas showing unexpectedly high concentrations linked to local sources and ocean circulation patterns.
Using citizen science to understand floating plastic debris distribution and abundance: A case study from the North Cornish coast (United Kingdom).
This citizen science study used a standardized methodology to monitor floating plastic debris off the Cornish coast of the UK, finding microplastic concentrations comparable to or higher than other European coastal regions. The study demonstrates that citizen science can generate useful, standardized data on plastic pollution in coastal waters.
Citizen scientists reveal: Marine litter pollutes Arctic beaches and affects wild life
Citizen scientists surveying beaches on the remote Arctic island of Svalbard found plastic litter densities comparable to heavily populated coastal areas, with over 80% of the litter being plastic and most traceable to the fishing industry. The study demonstrates both the reach of plastic pollution into remote polar ecosystems and the value of citizen science for environmental monitoring.
Citizen Science for Monitoring Plastic Pollution from Source to Sea: A Systematic Review of Methodologies, Best Practices, and Challenges
This systematic review examines how citizen science programs track plastic pollution from land to sea. The research found that while public participation greatly expands data collection, inconsistent methods and data quality issues limit the scientific usefulness of the results. Better-designed citizen science programs could help communities monitor and respond to the microplastic pollution in their local environments.
Paddle surfing for science on microplastic pollution: a successful citizen science initiative
Researchers used paddle surfers as citizen scientists to collect microplastic samples from near-shore coastal waters in the Mediterranean Sea, filling a gap in data from areas close to the coastline. The study demonstrates how citizen science can expand microplastic monitoring to locations that are difficult to access with conventional research vessels.
Microplastics in the Eurasian Arctic surface water: main sources and drivers of spatiotemporal variability
Researchers conducted the most extensive survey to date of floating microplastics in the Eurasian Arctic Ocean, collecting 220 surface and 180 subsurface water samples across six research cruises from 2019 to 2022 in the Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East-Siberian Seas using Neuston nets. The study characterised the main sources and spatiotemporal drivers of microplastic distribution in this sensitive polar region, with findings relevant to understanding the Arctic as a sink for global plastic pollution.
Studies of microplastic content in water and commercial fish: from scientific research to large-scale monitoring
This article reviewed microplastic content in water and commercial fish from Russian fishery zones in the Arctic Seas, summarizing data collected from 2019 to 2022 and proposing protocols for large-scale monitoring programs.
Microplastics in the Eurasian Arctic surface water: main sources and drivers of spatiotemporal variability
Researchers conducted the most extensive survey of floating microplastics in the Eurasian Arctic to date, collecting 220 surface water and 180 subsurface water samples across the Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East-Siberian seas during six cruises from 2019 to 2022. They found a strong west-to-east gradient in microplastic pollution, declining from 19.0 micrograms per cubic meter in the Barents Sea to 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter in the East-Siberian Sea, with the Kara Gate Strait showing the highest concentration at 640 micrograms per cubic meter, suggesting the Barents Sea as the primary source of microplastics in the Siberian Arctic.
Determining global distribution of microplastics by combining citizen science and in-depth case studies
This study combined citizen science sampling data with in-depth field studies to build a better global picture of microplastic distribution. The approach shows how large-scale volunteer monitoring can extend spatial coverage far beyond what professional researchers can achieve alone.