The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes
Understanding the transport and accumulation of microplastics is useful to determine the relative risk they pose to global biodiversity. The exact contribution of microplastic sources is hard to elucidate; therefore, investigating the Antarctic Weddell Sea, an area known for its remoteness and littl...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 https://doaj.org/article/187184806a664ebbbcbce9ff3c2ee39a |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:187184806a664ebbbcbce9ff3c2ee39a 2023-05-15T13:55:48+02:00 The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes Eoghan M. Cunningham Nuria Rico Seijo Katye E. Altieri Riesna R. Audh Jessica M. Burger Thomas G. Bornman Sarah Fawcett Claire M. B. Gwinnett Amy O. Osborne Lucy C. Woodall 2022-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 https://doaj.org/article/187184806a664ebbbcbce9ff3c2ee39a EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745 2296-7745 doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 https://doaj.org/article/187184806a664ebbbcbce9ff3c2ee39a Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 9 (2022) AMBT Antarctica atmospheric fibres forensics oceanic Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 2022-12-30T21:16:12Z Understanding the transport and accumulation of microplastics is useful to determine the relative risk they pose to global biodiversity. The exact contribution of microplastic sources is hard to elucidate; therefore, investigating the Antarctic Weddell Sea, an area known for its remoteness and little human presence (i.e. limited pollution sources), will help us to better understand microplastic transportation. Here, we investigate the presence of microplastics in a range of Antarctic sample media including air, seawater, and sediment. We hypothesised that multiple transportation processes including atmospheric and oceanic vectors determine the presence of microplastics in the Antarctic. Using techniques including Polarised Light Microscopy and Raman Spectrometry, we identified mostly fibres and categorised them based on their optical and chemical properties. A total of 47 individual microplastic categories (45 of which were fibres) were identified in the air, seawater, and sediment samples. The majority of categories did not overlap multiple media (42/47); however, four fibre categories were present in both air and water samples, and another fibre category was found in all three media (category 27). We suggest that the large variety of fibres identified and the overlap of fibre categories among media indicates that the pollution may result from multiple diffuse sources and transportation pathways. Additionally, our Air Mass Back Trajectory analyses demonstrates that microplastic fibres are being transported by air masses or wind, and strongly suggests that they are transported to the Antarctic from southern South America. We also propose that fibres may be transported into the Antarctic in subsurface waters, and as pollution was identified in our sediment and additional sea ice samples, we suggest that the coastal and Antarctic deep sea may be a sink for microplastic fibres. The results shown here from a remote, near-pristine system, further highlight the need for a global response to the plastic pollution ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Sea ice Weddell Sea Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Antarctic Weddell Sea Weddell Frontiers in Marine Science 9 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
AMBT Antarctica atmospheric fibres forensics oceanic Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
spellingShingle |
AMBT Antarctica atmospheric fibres forensics oceanic Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Eoghan M. Cunningham Nuria Rico Seijo Katye E. Altieri Riesna R. Audh Jessica M. Burger Thomas G. Bornman Sarah Fawcett Claire M. B. Gwinnett Amy O. Osborne Lucy C. Woodall The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes |
topic_facet |
AMBT Antarctica atmospheric fibres forensics oceanic Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
description |
Understanding the transport and accumulation of microplastics is useful to determine the relative risk they pose to global biodiversity. The exact contribution of microplastic sources is hard to elucidate; therefore, investigating the Antarctic Weddell Sea, an area known for its remoteness and little human presence (i.e. limited pollution sources), will help us to better understand microplastic transportation. Here, we investigate the presence of microplastics in a range of Antarctic sample media including air, seawater, and sediment. We hypothesised that multiple transportation processes including atmospheric and oceanic vectors determine the presence of microplastics in the Antarctic. Using techniques including Polarised Light Microscopy and Raman Spectrometry, we identified mostly fibres and categorised them based on their optical and chemical properties. A total of 47 individual microplastic categories (45 of which were fibres) were identified in the air, seawater, and sediment samples. The majority of categories did not overlap multiple media (42/47); however, four fibre categories were present in both air and water samples, and another fibre category was found in all three media (category 27). We suggest that the large variety of fibres identified and the overlap of fibre categories among media indicates that the pollution may result from multiple diffuse sources and transportation pathways. Additionally, our Air Mass Back Trajectory analyses demonstrates that microplastic fibres are being transported by air masses or wind, and strongly suggests that they are transported to the Antarctic from southern South America. We also propose that fibres may be transported into the Antarctic in subsurface waters, and as pollution was identified in our sediment and additional sea ice samples, we suggest that the coastal and Antarctic deep sea may be a sink for microplastic fibres. The results shown here from a remote, near-pristine system, further highlight the need for a global response to the plastic pollution ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Eoghan M. Cunningham Nuria Rico Seijo Katye E. Altieri Riesna R. Audh Jessica M. Burger Thomas G. Bornman Sarah Fawcett Claire M. B. Gwinnett Amy O. Osborne Lucy C. Woodall |
author_facet |
Eoghan M. Cunningham Nuria Rico Seijo Katye E. Altieri Riesna R. Audh Jessica M. Burger Thomas G. Bornman Sarah Fawcett Claire M. B. Gwinnett Amy O. Osborne Lucy C. Woodall |
author_sort |
Eoghan M. Cunningham |
title |
The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes |
title_short |
The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes |
title_full |
The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes |
title_fullStr |
The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes |
title_full_unstemmed |
The transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the Antarctic: The role of multiple global processes |
title_sort |
transport and fate of microplastic fibres in the antarctic: the role of multiple global processes |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 https://doaj.org/article/187184806a664ebbbcbce9ff3c2ee39a |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Weddell Sea Weddell |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Weddell Sea Weddell |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Sea ice Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Sea ice Weddell Sea |
op_source |
Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 9 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745 2296-7745 doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 https://doaj.org/article/187184806a664ebbbcbce9ff3c2ee39a |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1056081 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
container_volume |
9 |
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1766262637791805440 |