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

• Published in: Nature Communications
• Main Authors: Peter S. Ross, Stephen Chastain, Ekaterina Vassilenko, Anahita Etemadifar, Sarah Zimmermann, Sarah-Ann Quesnel, Jane Eert, Eric Solomon, Shreyas Patankar, Anna M. Posacka, Bill Williams
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Portfolio 2021
• Subjects: Science; Q; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; North Pole
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20347-1; https://doaj.org/article/ad8c58e6e9fa447dab3485c771318a66

Microplastics have spread across the globe and reached even the most remote locations, but an understanding of their origins remains largely elusive. Here the authors quantify and characterise microplastics across the North Pole, finding that synthetic fibers like polyester are dominant and likely sourced from the Atlantic Ocean.