Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives
The number of scientists and tourists visiting Antarctica is on the rise and, despite the management framework for environmental protection, some coastal areas, particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula region, are affected by plastic contamination. The few data available on the occurrence of micropla...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4aa9da05a2cd4953891f8d44bc9084b7 2024-01-07T09:39:04+01:00 Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives Emilia Rota Elisa Bergami Ilaria Corsi Roberto Bargagli 2022-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/environments9070093 https://doaj.org/article/4aa9da05a2cd4953891f8d44bc9084b7 EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/9/7/93 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-3298 doi:10.3390/environments9070093 2076-3298 https://doaj.org/article/4aa9da05a2cd4953891f8d44bc9084b7 Environments, Vol 9, Iss 7, p 93 (2022) Antarctica plastics occurrence environmental contamination impact marine and terrestrial ecosystems Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/environments9070093 2023-12-10T01:42:35Z The number of scientists and tourists visiting Antarctica is on the rise and, despite the management framework for environmental protection, some coastal areas, particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula region, are affected by plastic contamination. The few data available on the occurrence of microplastics (<5 mm) are difficult to compare, due to the different methodologies used in monitoring studies. However, indications are emerging to guide future research and to implement environmental protocols. In the surface and subsurface waters of the Southern Ocean, plastic debris >300 µm appears to be scarce and far less abundant than paint chips released from research vessels. Yet, near some coastal scientific stations, the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic items, as well as microbeads and microfibers released into wastewater from personal care products and laundry, could potentially affect marine organisms. Some studies indicate that, through long-range atmospheric transport, plastic fibers produced on other continents can be deposited in Antarctica. Drifting plastic debris can also cross the Polar Front, with the potential to carry alien fouling organisms into the Southern Ocean. Sea ice dynamics appear to favor the uptake of microplastics by ice algae and Antarctic krill, the key species in the Antarctic marine food web. Euphausia superba apparently has the ability to fragment and expel ingested plastic particles at the nanoscale. However, most Antarctic organisms are endemic species, with unique ecophysiological adaptations to extreme environmental conditions and are likely highly sensitive to cumulative stresses caused by climate change, microplastics and other anthropogenic disturbances. Although there is limited evidence to date that micro- and nanoplastics have direct biological effects, our review aims at raising awareness of the problem and, in order to assess the real potential impact of microplastics in Antarctica, underlines the urgency to fill the methodological gaps for their ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Euphausia superba ice algae Sea ice Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Southern Ocean The Antarctic Environments 9 7 93 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctica plastics occurrence environmental contamination impact marine and terrestrial ecosystems Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 |
spellingShingle |
Antarctica plastics occurrence environmental contamination impact marine and terrestrial ecosystems Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Emilia Rota Elisa Bergami Ilaria Corsi Roberto Bargagli Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives |
topic_facet |
Antarctica plastics occurrence environmental contamination impact marine and terrestrial ecosystems Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 |
description |
The number of scientists and tourists visiting Antarctica is on the rise and, despite the management framework for environmental protection, some coastal areas, particularly in the Antarctic Peninsula region, are affected by plastic contamination. The few data available on the occurrence of microplastics (<5 mm) are difficult to compare, due to the different methodologies used in monitoring studies. However, indications are emerging to guide future research and to implement environmental protocols. In the surface and subsurface waters of the Southern Ocean, plastic debris >300 µm appears to be scarce and far less abundant than paint chips released from research vessels. Yet, near some coastal scientific stations, the fragmentation and degradation of larger plastic items, as well as microbeads and microfibers released into wastewater from personal care products and laundry, could potentially affect marine organisms. Some studies indicate that, through long-range atmospheric transport, plastic fibers produced on other continents can be deposited in Antarctica. Drifting plastic debris can also cross the Polar Front, with the potential to carry alien fouling organisms into the Southern Ocean. Sea ice dynamics appear to favor the uptake of microplastics by ice algae and Antarctic krill, the key species in the Antarctic marine food web. Euphausia superba apparently has the ability to fragment and expel ingested plastic particles at the nanoscale. However, most Antarctic organisms are endemic species, with unique ecophysiological adaptations to extreme environmental conditions and are likely highly sensitive to cumulative stresses caused by climate change, microplastics and other anthropogenic disturbances. Although there is limited evidence to date that micro- and nanoplastics have direct biological effects, our review aims at raising awareness of the problem and, in order to assess the real potential impact of microplastics in Antarctica, underlines the urgency to fill the methodological gaps for their ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Emilia Rota Elisa Bergami Ilaria Corsi Roberto Bargagli |
author_facet |
Emilia Rota Elisa Bergami Ilaria Corsi Roberto Bargagli |
author_sort |
Emilia Rota |
title |
Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives |
title_short |
Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives |
title_full |
Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives |
title_fullStr |
Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives |
title_full_unstemmed |
Macro- and Microplastics in the Antarctic Environment: Ongoing Assessment and Perspectives |
title_sort |
macro- and microplastics in the antarctic environment: ongoing assessment and perspectives |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/environments9070093 https://doaj.org/article/4aa9da05a2cd4953891f8d44bc9084b7 |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Euphausia superba ice algae Sea ice Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Euphausia superba ice algae Sea ice Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Environments, Vol 9, Iss 7, p 93 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/9/7/93 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-3298 doi:10.3390/environments9070093 2076-3298 https://doaj.org/article/4aa9da05a2cd4953891f8d44bc9084b7 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/environments9070093 |
container_title |
Environments |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
93 |
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1787428243051118592 |