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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Floating microplastic inventories in the southern Beaufort Sea, Arctic Ocean
ClearMicroplastics 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.
The occurrence and sources of microplastics to Arctic and sub-Arctic beaches: human influence on local microplastic hotspots
Researchers characterized microplastic occurrence and sources at Arctic and sub-Arctic beaches, finding that proximity to human settlements creates local hotspots, while more remote beaches receive microplastics primarily through long-range oceanic transport.
Microplastics in Arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples
Researchers reported some of the first measured values for microplastic particles in Arctic polar waters, finding contamination even in these remote high-latitude waters and raising questions about long-range transport mechanisms.
Importance of seasonal sea ice in the western Arctic ocean to the Arctic and global microplastic budgets
This study quantified the role of western Arctic sea ice as a seasonal sink and transport vector for microplastics, finding that atmospheric deposition and sea ice dynamics contribute significantly to the regional and global microplastic budget.
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.
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.
The problem of Microplastic Accumulation in the Arctic Ocean
This review highlights the emerging threat of microplastic accumulation in the rapidly warming Arctic Ocean, documenting MP presence in seawater, sediments, sea ice, and marine organisms and identifying the Arctic as a convergence zone for plastic pollution transported by ocean currents.
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.
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 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.
Abundance and distribution of microplastics in the surface sediments from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas
This study documented the first records of microplastic contamination in surface sediments from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas, including waters near Arctic Alaska, finding widespread but variable particle abundances. The findings confirm that even high-latitude Arctic seafloor sediments receive microplastic input, likely transported by ocean currents from distant sources.
Atmospheric microplastics in the Arctic Region: An examination of deposited and suspended atmospheric microplastics in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard
Researchers measured atmospheric microplastic deposition and suspension in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, finding microplastics in both deposited and airborne samples from this remote High Arctic location and characterizing dominant polymer types and potential source regions.
Microplastics abundance and characteristics in surface waters from the Northwest Pacific, the Bering Sea, and the Chukchi Sea
Microplastics were detected in surface waters of the Northwest Pacific, Bering Sea, and Chukchi Sea, with fibrous particles dominating and concentrations varying by ocean region and proximity to shipping lanes.
Horizontal distribution of surface microplastic concentrations and water-column microplastic inventories in the Chukchi Sea, western Arctic Ocean
Researchers mapped the horizontal distribution of microplastics in the Chukchi Sea of the western Arctic Ocean, providing the first water-column microplastic inventory for this region and revealing significant contamination even in remote polar waters experiencing rapid sea-ice loss.
Anthropogenic particles (including microfibers and microplastics) in marine sediments of the Canadian Arctic
Researchers conducted the first Arctic-wide Canadian survey of anthropogenic particles in marine sediments, finding microfibers and microplastics at all 14 sampled sites including remote locations, with synthetic fibers far outnumbering hard plastic fragments and concentrations increasing near shipping routes.
A first assessment of microplastics and other anthropogenic particles in Hudson Bay and the surrounding eastern Canadian Arctic waters of Nunavut
Scientists collected surface water, zooplankton, sediment, and snow samples from Hudson Bay to northern Baffin Island and found microplastics in all sample types, providing the first comprehensive assessment of microplastic contamination across this broad eastern Canadian Arctic region.
Arctic sea ice is an important temporal sink and means of transport for microplastic
This study showed that Arctic sea ice acts as a significant temporary reservoir for microplastics, trapping particles that are then released when ice melts, making sea ice both a sink and a transport mechanism for microplastic pollution.
Origin and intra-annual variability of vertical microplastic fluxes in Fram Strait, Arctic Ocean
Sediment trap data from Fram Strait in the Arctic Ocean revealed temporal and spatial variability in vertical microplastic fluxes, with MP concentrations and composition varying seasonally. The study provided evidence that the Arctic deep sea receives a continuous supply of MPs via vertical settling, driven by ocean circulation and ice dynamics.
Investigating the sources, transfer, and fate of microplastics in the Arctic marine environment
This review synthesizes current knowledge on microplastic sources, transport pathways, and fate in Arctic marine environments, examining how MPs present in sea ice, water columns, and marine biota reflect both local and long-range transport from lower latitudes.
Atmospheric Microplastic in the Arctic and Mainland Norway; comparing urban and remote locations
Researchers deployed passive and active air samplers at two remote stations, Ny Alesund in the High Norwegian Arctic and Birkenes on mainland Norway, to compare atmospheric microplastic concentrations, compositions, and deposition rates between urban and remote locations to evaluate the magnitude of long-range atmospheric MP transport to the Arctic.
Observations of floating anthropogenic litter in the Barents Sea and Fram Strait, Arctic
Ship and helicopter surveys in the Barents Sea and Fram Strait confirmed the presence of anthropogenic litter, mostly plastic, in these remote Arctic waters. The findings indicate that ocean currents transport plastic debris from distant sources to even the most isolated polar seas, leaving no part of the global ocean untouched.
Microplastics in surface seawater of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Arctic
Researchers measured microplastic abundance, distribution, and characteristics in surface seawater of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, in the Arctic, collecting 18 samples with manta trawls. Microplastics were detected across all sites including the inner fjord, with fiber morphotypes dominant, confirming that even this remote Arctic fjord is contaminated by plastic particles transported via ocean currents and atmospheric deposition.
Investigation of microplastic pollution in Arctic fjord water: a case study of Rijpfjorden, Northern Svalbard
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the remote Rijpfjorden fjord in Northern Svalbard, sampling both surface water and the water column down to 200 m, and found widespread microplastic presence even in this Arctic environment far from major pollution sources.
Polar Particles: Atmospheric Microplastic Pollution in the Arctic Region – an examination of deposited and suspended microplastics in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard
Researchers collected both deposited and suspended atmospheric microplastics in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in the first study of its kind in the high Arctic planetary boundary layer. Despite the remote location, measurable concentrations were found, implicating long-range atmospheric transport as a key pathway for microplastic deposition in polar regions.