Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples
Plastic, as a form of marine litter, is found in varying quantities and sizes around the globe from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Identifying patterns of microplastic distribution will benefit an understanding of the scale of their potential effect on the environment and organisms. As sea ic...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10379/12518 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14947 |
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ftnuigalway:oai:aran.library.nuigalway.ie/:10379/12518 2023-06-11T04:07:32+02:00 Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples Lusher, Amy L. Tirelli, Valentina O’Connor, Ian Officer, Rick 2015-10-08 http://hdl.handle.net/10379/12518 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14947 unknown Springer Nature Scientific Reports Lusher, Amy L. Tirelli, Valentina; O’Connor, Ian; Officer, Rick (2015). Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples. Scientific Reports 5 , 2045-2322 http://hdl.handle.net/10379/12518 doi:10.1038/srep14947 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Ireland https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/ western mediterranean sea plastic particles subtropical gyre zooplankton atlantic debris accumulation copepod ocean environment Article 2015 ftnuigalway https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14947 2023-05-28T18:05:35Z Plastic, as a form of marine litter, is found in varying quantities and sizes around the globe from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Identifying patterns of microplastic distribution will benefit an understanding of the scale of their potential effect on the environment and organisms. As sea ice extent is reducing in the Arctic, heightened shipping and fishing activity may increase marine pollution in the area. Microplastics may enter the region following ocean transport and local input, although baseline contamination measurements are still required. Here we present the first study of microplastics in Arctic waters, south and southwest of Svalbard, Norway. Microplastics were found in surface (top 16 cm) and sub-surface (6 m depth) samples using two independent techniques. Origins and pathways bringing microplastic to the Arctic remain unclear. Particle composition (95% fibres) suggests they may either result from the breakdown of larger items (transported over large distances by prevailing currents, or derived from local vessel activity), or input in sewage and wastewater from coastal areas. Concurrent observations of high zooplankton abundance suggest a high probability for marine biota to encounter microplastics and a potential for trophic interactions. Further research is required to understand the effects of microplastic-biota interaction within this productive environment. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Sea ice Svalbard Zooplankton National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway: ARAN Arctic Svalbard Norway Scientific Reports 5 1 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway: ARAN |
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ftnuigalway |
language |
unknown |
topic |
western mediterranean sea plastic particles subtropical gyre zooplankton atlantic debris accumulation copepod ocean environment |
spellingShingle |
western mediterranean sea plastic particles subtropical gyre zooplankton atlantic debris accumulation copepod ocean environment Lusher, Amy L. Tirelli, Valentina O’Connor, Ian Officer, Rick Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
topic_facet |
western mediterranean sea plastic particles subtropical gyre zooplankton atlantic debris accumulation copepod ocean environment |
description |
Plastic, as a form of marine litter, is found in varying quantities and sizes around the globe from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Identifying patterns of microplastic distribution will benefit an understanding of the scale of their potential effect on the environment and organisms. As sea ice extent is reducing in the Arctic, heightened shipping and fishing activity may increase marine pollution in the area. Microplastics may enter the region following ocean transport and local input, although baseline contamination measurements are still required. Here we present the first study of microplastics in Arctic waters, south and southwest of Svalbard, Norway. Microplastics were found in surface (top 16 cm) and sub-surface (6 m depth) samples using two independent techniques. Origins and pathways bringing microplastic to the Arctic remain unclear. Particle composition (95% fibres) suggests they may either result from the breakdown of larger items (transported over large distances by prevailing currents, or derived from local vessel activity), or input in sewage and wastewater from coastal areas. Concurrent observations of high zooplankton abundance suggest a high probability for marine biota to encounter microplastics and a potential for trophic interactions. Further research is required to understand the effects of microplastic-biota interaction within this productive environment. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lusher, Amy L. Tirelli, Valentina O’Connor, Ian Officer, Rick |
author_facet |
Lusher, Amy L. Tirelli, Valentina O’Connor, Ian Officer, Rick |
author_sort |
Lusher, Amy L. |
title |
Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
title_short |
Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
title_full |
Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
title_fullStr |
Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
title_full_unstemmed |
Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
title_sort |
microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples |
publisher |
Springer Nature |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10379/12518 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14947 |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Norway |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Norway |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Sea ice Svalbard Zooplankton |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Sea ice Svalbard Zooplankton |
op_relation |
Scientific Reports Lusher, Amy L. Tirelli, Valentina; O’Connor, Ian; Officer, Rick (2015). Microplastics in arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples. Scientific Reports 5 , 2045-2322 http://hdl.handle.net/10379/12518 doi:10.1038/srep14947 |
op_rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Ireland https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ie/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14947 |
container_title |
Scientific Reports |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1768380701363666944 |