Pervasive distribution of polyester fibres in the Arctic Ocean is driven by Atlantic inputs

• Published in: Nature Communications
• Main Authors: Ross, Peter S., Chastain, Stephen, Vassilenko, Ekaterina, Etemadifar, Anahita, Zimmermann, Sarah, Quesnel, Sarah-Ann, Eert, Jane, Solomon, Eric, Patankar, Shreyas, Posacka, Anna M., Williams, Bill
• Other Authors: Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2021
• Subjects: General Physics and Astronomy; General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; General Chemistry; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; North Pole; Beaufort Sea
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20347-1; http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20347-1.pdf; http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20347-1

Abstract Microplastics are increasingly recognized as ubiquitous global contaminants, but questions linger regarding their source, transport and fate. We document the widespread distribution of microplastics in near-surface seawater from 71 stations across the European and North American Arctic - including the North Pole. We also characterize samples to a depth of 1,015 m in the Beaufort Sea. Particle abundance correlated with longitude, with almost three times more particles in the eastern Arctic compared to the west. Polyester comprised 73% of total synthetic fibres, with an east-to-west shift in infra-red signatures pointing to a potential weathering of fibres away from source. Here we suggest that relatively fresh polyester fibres are delivered to the eastern Arctic Ocean, via Atlantic Ocean inputs and/or atmospheric transport from the South. This raises further questions about the global reach of textile fibres in domestic wastewater, with our findings pointing to their widespread distribution in this remote region of the world.