Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research
It was thought that the Southern Ocean was relatively free of microplastic contamination; however, recent studies and citizen science projects in the Southern Ocean have reported microplastics in deep-sea sediments and surface waters. Here we reviewed available information on microplastics (includin...
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ftunivhullir:oai:hull-repository.worktribe.com:734195 2024-09-15T17:41:05+00:00 Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Hughes, Kevin A. 2017-04-11 https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/file/734195/1/Article https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/734195 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 English eng Elsevier https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/734195 Science of The Total Environment Volume 598 Pagination 220-227 doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/file/734195/1/Article 0048-9697 doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 openAccess Pollution Microplastics Antarctica Southern Ocean Macroplyastics Journal Article publishedVersion 2017 ftunivhullir https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 2024-07-22T14:05:21Z It was thought that the Southern Ocean was relatively free of microplastic contamination; however, recent studies and citizen science projects in the Southern Ocean have reported microplastics in deep-sea sediments and surface waters. Here we reviewed available information on microplastics (including macroplastics as a source of microplastics) in the Southern Ocean. We estimated primary microplastic concentrations from personal care products and laundry, and identified potential sources and routes of transmission into the region. Estimates showed the levels of microplastic pollution released into the region from ships and scientific research stations were likely to be negligible at the scale of the Southern Ocean, but may be significant on a local scale. This was demonstrated by the detection of the first microplastics in shallow benthic sediments close to a number of research stations on King George Island. Furthermore, our predictions of primary microplastic concentrations from local sources were five orders of magnitude lower than levels reported in published sampling surveys (assuming an even dispersal at the ocean surface). Sea surface transfer from lower latitudes may contribute, at an as yet unknown level, to Southern Ocean plastic concentrations. Acknowledging the lack of data describing microplastic origins, concentrations, distribution and impacts in the Southern Ocean, we highlight the urgent need for research, and call for routine, standardised monitoring in the Antarctic marine system. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica King George Island Southern Ocean University of Hull: Repository@Hull Science of The Total Environment 598 220 227 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Hull: Repository@Hull |
op_collection_id |
ftunivhullir |
language |
English |
topic |
Pollution Microplastics Antarctica Southern Ocean Macroplyastics |
spellingShingle |
Pollution Microplastics Antarctica Southern Ocean Macroplyastics Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Hughes, Kevin A. Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research |
topic_facet |
Pollution Microplastics Antarctica Southern Ocean Macroplyastics |
description |
It was thought that the Southern Ocean was relatively free of microplastic contamination; however, recent studies and citizen science projects in the Southern Ocean have reported microplastics in deep-sea sediments and surface waters. Here we reviewed available information on microplastics (including macroplastics as a source of microplastics) in the Southern Ocean. We estimated primary microplastic concentrations from personal care products and laundry, and identified potential sources and routes of transmission into the region. Estimates showed the levels of microplastic pollution released into the region from ships and scientific research stations were likely to be negligible at the scale of the Southern Ocean, but may be significant on a local scale. This was demonstrated by the detection of the first microplastics in shallow benthic sediments close to a number of research stations on King George Island. Furthermore, our predictions of primary microplastic concentrations from local sources were five orders of magnitude lower than levels reported in published sampling surveys (assuming an even dispersal at the ocean surface). Sea surface transfer from lower latitudes may contribute, at an as yet unknown level, to Southern Ocean plastic concentrations. Acknowledging the lack of data describing microplastic origins, concentrations, distribution and impacts in the Southern Ocean, we highlight the urgent need for research, and call for routine, standardised monitoring in the Antarctic marine system. |
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. Hughes, Kevin A. |
author_facet |
Waller, Catherine L. Griffiths, Huw J. Waluda, Claire M. Thorpe, Sally E. Loaiza, Iván Moreno, Bernabé Pacherres, Cesar O. Hughes, Kevin A. |
author_sort |
Waller, Catherine L. |
title |
Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research |
title_short |
Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research |
title_full |
Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research |
title_fullStr |
Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research |
title_full_unstemmed |
Microplastics in the Antarctic marine system: An emerging area of research |
title_sort |
microplastics in the antarctic marine system: an emerging area of research |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/file/734195/1/Article https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/734195 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica King George Island Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica King George Island Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/734195 Science of The Total Environment Volume 598 Pagination 220-227 doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/file/734195/1/Article 0048-9697 doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 |
op_rights |
openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.283 |
container_title |
Science of The Total Environment |
container_volume |
598 |
container_start_page |
220 |
op_container_end_page |
227 |
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1810487161563119616 |