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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Airborne microplastics in Antarctica and New Zealand.
ClearAirborne microplastic concentrations in remote coastal environments
Researchers measured airborne microplastic concentrations at coastal sites in New Zealand near the Southern Ocean to assess whether sea-spray generates significant atmospheric plastic loads. Microplastics were detected at all coastal sampling locations despite the region's remoteness from plastic production, suggesting marine-to-atmosphere transfer is an important pathway even in pristine coastal environments.
Airborne microplastic pollution detected in the atmosphere of the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica
Researchers conducted a year-long study at an Antarctic research station and found airborne microplastics in the atmosphere of the South Shetland Islands. The study identified a wide variety of plastic polymers, indicating that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote parts of the planet. These findings underscore how pervasive plastic contamination has become, extending far beyond populated areas.
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.
Importance of atmospheric transport for microplastics deposited in remote areas
This study highlights atmospheric transport as a significant and underappreciated pathway for depositing micro- and nanoplastics in remote areas including mountain regions and polar zones far from plastic sources. Airborne plastic particles can travel thousands of kilometers before being deposited, explaining the presence of microplastics in seemingly pristine remote environments.
Airborne and marine microplastics in the Southern Ocean environment
Researchers collected atmospheric deposition and seawater samples during a voyage from New Zealand to the Ross Sea, Antarctica, and detected microplastics throughout the Southern Ocean, contributing rare data from one of the world's most remote regions to understanding atmospheric and marine plastic transport.
High debit sampling of airborne micro and nanoplastics in remote sea
Researchers developed a high-volume air sampler to detect micro- and nanoplastics in remote marine environments far from populated coastlines. The study confirms that plastic particles are transported through the atmosphere to even isolated ocean regions, demonstrating that no environment is free from airborne plastic pollution.
Microplastics ride the atmosphere
Research confirms that microplastic particles are transported through the atmosphere over long distances, depositing in remote areas including the Arctic and high mountains. Atmospheric transport is now recognized as a major pathway spreading microplastic contamination to virtually every part of the planet.
Aerosol mass concentrations and dry/wet deposition of atmospheric microplastics at a remote coastal location in New Zealand
Researchers quantified airborne microplastic concentrations at a remote coastal site in southern New Zealand using both active and passive sampling methods. They found plastics comprised at least 0.14% of total suspended particulate mass, with air trajectory analysis suggesting the Southern Ocean as a source. The study indicates that counting microplastics by number alone may significantly underestimate true atmospheric plastic pollution, since the smallest and most abundant particles escape microscopic detection.
Long-range atmospheric transport of microplastics across the southern hemisphere
Researchers conducted the first hemispheric-scale analysis of airborne microplastics, collecting samples along a cruise route from the Northern Hemisphere to Antarctica. They found microplastics present in the atmosphere over the Southern Ocean and near Antarctica, demonstrating that these particles can travel vast distances through the air. The study reveals that long-range atmospheric transport is a significant pathway for spreading microplastic pollution to even the most remote regions on Earth.
First evidence of microplastics in Antarctic snow
Researchers collected snow samples from 19 sites across Antarctica's Ross Island region and found microplastics in every sample, confirming that synthetic polymer particles have reached even this most remote environment. The findings show that atmospheric transport has delivered microplastics to pristine Antarctic snow far from any plastic 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.
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.
Airborne microplastic particles detected in the remote marine atmosphere
Researchers detected airborne microplastic particles — including polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene — in aerosol samples collected over the remote North Atlantic Ocean far from land. Back trajectory analysis and matching polymer types in both air and seawater suggest the ocean surface itself is a source of airborne microplastics, with true particle counts likely higher than detected since only particles above 5 micrometers were analyzed.
Microplastics in glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau: Evidence for the long-range transport of microplastics
Researchers discovered microplastics in glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau, one of the most remote regions on Earth. The presence of plastic particles at such high altitudes and far from population centers provides strong evidence that microplastics can travel long distances through the atmosphere, making this a truly global pollution problem.
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.
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.
Microplastics in bulk atmospheric deposition along the coastal region of Victoria Land, Antarctica
Researchers collected atmospheric samples from eight sites along the coast of Antarctica throughout 2020 and found microplastics falling from the air at all locations that were successfully sampled. The most common particles were tiny polypropylene and polyethylene fragments under 10 micrometers in size. Analysis of air movement patterns suggested that some of these microplastics may have traveled long distances through the atmosphere to reach even the most remote Antarctic sites.
A pilot study about microplastics and mesoplastics in an Antarctic glacier
In a pilot study, plastic particles including microplastics were detected for the first time on an Antarctic glacier, suggesting that atmospheric transport can deliver plastic pollution to even the most remote glacial environments.
Modelled sources of airborne microplastics collected at a remote Southern Hemisphere site
Researchers measured airborne microplastic deposits at a remote New Zealand mountain site and used a global atmospheric model to trace where the particles came from, finding that sea spray during long-range wind transport was the dominant source. The study also revealed that shorter sampling periods capture 6 times more microplastics than weekly sampling, suggesting previous studies may have significantly underestimated atmospheric microplastic deposition.
Fine microplastics and nanoplastics in particulate matter samples from a high alpine environment
This study detected fine microplastics and nanoplastics in atmospheric particulate matter collected from a high alpine site in the Alps. The findings confirm that even remote mountain environments receive plastic pollution through the atmosphere, adding to evidence of global airborne plastic transport.