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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics in the Southern Ocean: Findings from the Continuous Plankton Recorder in the Ross Sea and the East Antarctic Regions
ClearDistribution 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.
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.
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 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 Southern Ocean sea ice: a pan-Antarctic perspective
The first pan-Antarctic survey of microplastics in Southern Ocean sea ice found an average of 44.8 particles per liter across 19 archived ice core samples, with 19 different polymer types detected even in one of Earth's most remote regions. This confirms that microplastic contamination has reached the polar oceans and is being concentrated and transported by sea ice, with implications for the marine food web as the ice melts.
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.
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.
Investigation of Microplastics from Deep-Sea Antarctic and West Coast North American Sediments
Microplastics were identified in deep-sea sediments from both Antarctic and North American Pacific sites, confirming that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote ocean floor environments far from human activity.
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.
Determination of the presence of microplastics in intertidal sediments of deception island, antarctica
Researchers determined the presence and characteristics of microplastics in intertidal sediments of Deception Island, Antarctica, providing evidence that plastic contamination has reached one of Earth's most remote environments and documenting the role of marine sediments as sinks for persistent microplastic pollution.
Microplastics in collins bay: establishing the foundation for a monitoring program in king george island, antarctica
Researchers established baseline microplastic contamination data in Collins Bay, King George Island, Antarctica, developing the foundation for a long-term monitoring program in one of the most remote polar environments. The study characterized microplastic abundance, morphology, and polymer composition in Antarctic coastal waters.
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.
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.
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.
Zonal Distribution Characteristics of Microplastics in the Southern Indian Ocean and the Influence of Ocean Current
Microplastic concentrations were measured in seawater across the southern Indian Ocean along transects influenced by major ocean currents, finding that plastic distribution was shaped by circulation patterns with higher concentrations in convergence zones. The study provides baseline data on microplastic pollution in a relatively understudied and remote ocean region.
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.
Water column circulation drives microplastic distribution in the Martínez-Baker channels; A large fjord ecosystem in Chilean Patagonia
This study detected microplastics throughout the water column in a remote fjord system in Chilean Patagonia, finding particles at all depths despite the area's distance from population centers. The results confirm that ocean circulation transports microplastics into even the most remote South American coastal systems.
Surface waters meso- and micro-litter around the Western Antarctic Peninsula: Are the South Shetland Islands a pollution hotspot?
Researchers surveyed meso- and micro-litter in surface waters around the Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands across two summer seasons, providing one of the broadest assessments of marine debris in Antarctica. Even this remote polar region showed widespread plastic contamination, with fragments and lines dominating the debris found.
Microplastics in the southern ocean and antarctic snow
Researchers sampled sub-surface seawater (4-5 m depth) aboard a research vessel and snow collected near five Russian Antarctic stations during the 2022 Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE), filtering at least 2 m3 of seawater per sample and 5 litres of snow per sample for microplastic analysis. The study characterised microplastic occurrence and composition in both the Southern Ocean water column and Antarctic snow, contributing baseline data on plastic contamination in one of the most remote regions on Earth.
Multi-specific assessment of microplastic ingestion by Antarctic fish from the Ross Sea (Southern Ocean)
Researchers examined 145 fish from seven species in Antarctica's Ross Sea and found microplastic contamination in about one-third of all individuals, including three species never previously tested. The study, one of the largest assessments of microplastic ingestion by Antarctic fish to date, found contamination across multiple important ecological locations. The findings demonstrate that microplastic pollution has reached even the most remote marine ecosystems on Earth.
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.
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.
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.
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.