Microplastics in the Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean has the lowest densities of floating macroplastic litter in the world. It was thought that the region was relatively free of microplastic contamination. However, recent studies and citizen science projects have reported microplastics in deep-sea and shallow sediments and surface w...
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Antarctica New Zealand
2018
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:520209 2024-01-07T09:46:46+01:00 Microplastics in the Southern Ocean Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Ryan, Peter Suaria, Giuseppe Isobe, Atsuhiko Hughes, Kevin A. 2018-05-16 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520209/ https://environments.aq/publications/microplastics-in-the-southern-ocean/ unknown Antarctica New Zealand Waller, Catherine L.; Griffiths, Huw J. orcid:0000-0003-1764-223X Waluda, Claire M. orcid:0000-0003-3517-5233 Thorpe, Sally E. orcid:0000-0002-5193-6955 Loaiza, Iván; Moreno, Bernabé; Pacherres, Cesar O.; Ryan, Peter; Suaria, Giuseppe; Isobe, Atsuhiko; Hughes, Kevin A. orcid:0000-0003-2701-726X . 2018 Microplastics in the Southern Ocean. Antarctic Environments Portal. https://doi.org/10.18124/D4JK8V <https://doi.org/10.18124/D4JK8V> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2018 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.18124/D4JK8V 2023-12-08T00:03:07Z The Southern Ocean has the lowest densities of floating macroplastic litter in the world. It was thought that the region was relatively free of microplastic contamination. However, recent studies and citizen science projects have reported microplastics in deep-sea and shallow sediments and surface waters. Microplastics have been shown, in both laboratory experiments and field-based studies elsewhere in the world, to negatively impact a range of marine species including pelagic and benthic organisms. After reviewing available information on microplastics (including macroplastics as a source of microplastics) in the Southern Ocean, we present estimated microplastic concentrations, and identify potential sources and routes of transmission into the region. Estimates suggest that the amounts of microplastic pollution released into the region from ships and scientific research stations are likely to be negligible at the scale of the Southern Ocean, but may be significant on a local scale. Furthermore, predictions of microplastic concentrations from local sources are several orders of magnitude lower than levels reported in published sampling surveys. Sea surface transfer from lower latitudes is a likely contributor to Southern Ocean plastic concentrations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Southern Ocean |
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Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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description |
The Southern Ocean has the lowest densities of floating macroplastic litter in the world. It was thought that the region was relatively free of microplastic contamination. However, recent studies and citizen science projects have reported microplastics in deep-sea and shallow sediments and surface waters. Microplastics have been shown, in both laboratory experiments and field-based studies elsewhere in the world, to negatively impact a range of marine species including pelagic and benthic organisms. After reviewing available information on microplastics (including macroplastics as a source of microplastics) in the Southern Ocean, we present estimated microplastic concentrations, and identify potential sources and routes of transmission into the region. Estimates suggest that the amounts of microplastic pollution released into the region from ships and scientific research stations are likely to be negligible at the scale of the Southern Ocean, but may be significant on a local scale. Furthermore, predictions of microplastic concentrations from local sources are several orders of magnitude lower than levels reported in published sampling surveys. Sea surface transfer from lower latitudes is a likely contributor to Southern Ocean plastic concentrations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Ryan, Peter Suaria, Giuseppe Isobe, Atsuhiko Hughes, Kevin A. |
spellingShingle |
Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Ryan, Peter Suaria, Giuseppe Isobe, Atsuhiko Hughes, Kevin A. Microplastics in the Southern Ocean |
author_facet |
Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Ryan, Peter Suaria, Giuseppe Isobe, Atsuhiko Hughes, Kevin A. |
author_sort |
Waller, Catherine L. |
title |
Microplastics in the Southern Ocean |
title_short |
Microplastics in the Southern Ocean |
title_full |
Microplastics in the Southern Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Microplastics in the Southern Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Microplastics in the Southern Ocean |
title_sort |
microplastics in the southern ocean |
publisher |
Antarctica New Zealand |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520209/ https://environments.aq/publications/microplastics-in-the-southern-ocean/ |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
Waller, Catherine L.; Griffiths, Huw J. orcid:0000-0003-1764-223X Waluda, Claire M. orcid:0000-0003-3517-5233 Thorpe, Sally E. orcid:0000-0002-5193-6955 Loaiza, Iván; Moreno, Bernabé; Pacherres, Cesar O.; Ryan, Peter; Suaria, Giuseppe; Isobe, Atsuhiko; Hughes, Kevin A. orcid:0000-0003-2701-726X . 2018 Microplastics in the Southern Ocean. Antarctic Environments Portal. https://doi.org/10.18124/D4JK8V <https://doi.org/10.18124/D4JK8V> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.18124/D4JK8V |
_version_ |
1787428661215887360 |