Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem
Microplastics (MPs) are polluting the Arctic, but our understanding of their abundance, distribution, and sources is limited. This study quantified MPs down to 10 μm in marine waters of the most populated region in Greenland. A new plastic-free pump-filter system was used to collect MPs from surface...
Published in: | Environmental Pollution |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2020
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Online Access: | https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/4635d6dd-065b-4e50-9401-9013dbc10e62 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088793511&partnerID=8YFLogxK https://zenodo.org/record/4984493/files/j.envpol.2020.115248.pdf?download=1 |
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ftalborgunivpubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/4635d6dd-065b-4e50-9401-9013dbc10e62 2024-09-30T14:27:58+00:00 Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem Rist, Sinja Vianello, Alvise Winding, Mie Hylstofte Sichlau Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Almeda, Rodrigo Torres, Rocío Rodríguez Vollertsen, Jes 2020-11 https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/4635d6dd-065b-4e50-9401-9013dbc10e62 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088793511&partnerID=8YFLogxK https://zenodo.org/record/4984493/files/j.envpol.2020.115248.pdf?download=1 eng eng https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/4635d6dd-065b-4e50-9401-9013dbc10e62 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Rist , S , Vianello , A , Winding , M H S , Nielsen , T G , Almeda , R , Torres , R R & Vollertsen , J 2020 , ' Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem ' , Environmental Pollution , vol. 266 Part 1 , no. November , 115248 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 Bongo net Greenland Plastic pollution Pump-filter system μFTIR-imaging article 2020 ftalborgunivpubl https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 2024-09-19T00:52:41Z Microplastics (MPs) are polluting the Arctic, but our understanding of their abundance, distribution, and sources is limited. This study quantified MPs down to 10 μm in marine waters of the most populated region in Greenland. A new plastic-free pump-filter system was used to collect MPs from surface waters in the fjord Nuup Kangerlua close to Nuuk. Additionally, we took samples by horizontal tows with a bongo net (300 μm mesh-size). The median concentrations were 142 MPs m −3 and 0.12 MPs m −3 in the pump and bongo samples, respectively. The most abundant polymer was polyester across stations and sampling types. Fibers were the dominant shape in the bongo samples, while non-fibrous particles dominated in the pump samples. MP abundance was lower in the fjord and increased close to Nuuk and towards the open ocean, indicating that Nuuk is an important point source for MPs. In both samples, concentrations of MPs increased with decreasing size, illustrating the importance of quantifying the smallest fraction of MPs. Thus, the use of methods allowing for a quantification of the smallest MPs is vital to reduce the underestimation of MP concentrations in the environment. The smallest size fraction is also most available to plankton-feeding marine invertebrates and an important entry point for MPs into marine food webs. At the found concentrations, immediate adverse effects on the pelagic food webs are unlikely. However, growing anthropogenic activities could increase the risk of MPs to affect the sensitive Arctic ecosystem. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Greenland Nuuk Aalborg University's Research Portal Arctic Greenland Nuuk ENVELOPE(-52.150,-52.150,68.717,68.717) Environmental Pollution 266 115248 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aalborg University's Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftalborgunivpubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Bongo net Greenland Plastic pollution Pump-filter system μFTIR-imaging |
spellingShingle |
Bongo net Greenland Plastic pollution Pump-filter system μFTIR-imaging Rist, Sinja Vianello, Alvise Winding, Mie Hylstofte Sichlau Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Almeda, Rodrigo Torres, Rocío Rodríguez Vollertsen, Jes Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem |
topic_facet |
Bongo net Greenland Plastic pollution Pump-filter system μFTIR-imaging |
description |
Microplastics (MPs) are polluting the Arctic, but our understanding of their abundance, distribution, and sources is limited. This study quantified MPs down to 10 μm in marine waters of the most populated region in Greenland. A new plastic-free pump-filter system was used to collect MPs from surface waters in the fjord Nuup Kangerlua close to Nuuk. Additionally, we took samples by horizontal tows with a bongo net (300 μm mesh-size). The median concentrations were 142 MPs m −3 and 0.12 MPs m −3 in the pump and bongo samples, respectively. The most abundant polymer was polyester across stations and sampling types. Fibers were the dominant shape in the bongo samples, while non-fibrous particles dominated in the pump samples. MP abundance was lower in the fjord and increased close to Nuuk and towards the open ocean, indicating that Nuuk is an important point source for MPs. In both samples, concentrations of MPs increased with decreasing size, illustrating the importance of quantifying the smallest fraction of MPs. Thus, the use of methods allowing for a quantification of the smallest MPs is vital to reduce the underestimation of MP concentrations in the environment. The smallest size fraction is also most available to plankton-feeding marine invertebrates and an important entry point for MPs into marine food webs. At the found concentrations, immediate adverse effects on the pelagic food webs are unlikely. However, growing anthropogenic activities could increase the risk of MPs to affect the sensitive Arctic ecosystem. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rist, Sinja Vianello, Alvise Winding, Mie Hylstofte Sichlau Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Almeda, Rodrigo Torres, Rocío Rodríguez Vollertsen, Jes |
author_facet |
Rist, Sinja Vianello, Alvise Winding, Mie Hylstofte Sichlau Nielsen, Torkel Gissel Almeda, Rodrigo Torres, Rocío Rodríguez Vollertsen, Jes |
author_sort |
Rist, Sinja |
title |
Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem |
title_short |
Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem |
title_full |
Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem |
title_fullStr |
Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem |
title_full_unstemmed |
Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem |
title_sort |
quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal arctic marine ecosystem |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/4635d6dd-065b-4e50-9401-9013dbc10e62 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088793511&partnerID=8YFLogxK https://zenodo.org/record/4984493/files/j.envpol.2020.115248.pdf?download=1 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-52.150,-52.150,68.717,68.717) |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland Nuuk |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland Nuuk |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Greenland Nuuk |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Greenland Nuuk |
op_source |
Rist , S , Vianello , A , Winding , M H S , Nielsen , T G , Almeda , R , Torres , R R & Vollertsen , J 2020 , ' Quantification of plankton-sized microplastics in a productive coastal Arctic marine ecosystem ' , Environmental Pollution , vol. 266 Part 1 , no. November , 115248 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 |
op_relation |
https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/4635d6dd-065b-4e50-9401-9013dbc10e62 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115248 |
container_title |
Environmental Pollution |
container_volume |
266 |
container_start_page |
115248 |
_version_ |
1811633882935590912 |