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Arctic sea ice is an important temporal sink and means of transport for microplastic

Author

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  • Ilka Peeken

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Sebastian Primpke

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Birte Beyer

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Julia Gütermann

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Christian Katlein

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Thomas Krumpen

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Melanie Bergmann

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Laura Hehemann

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

  • Gunnar Gerdts

    (Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung)

Abstract

Microplastics (MP) are recognized as a growing environmental hazard and have been identified as far as the remote Polar Regions, with particularly high concentrations of microplastics in sea ice. Little is known regarding the horizontal variability of MP within sea ice and how the underlying water body affects MP composition during sea ice growth. Here we show that sea ice MP has no uniform polymer composition and that, depending on the growth region and drift paths of the sea ice, unique MP patterns can be observed in different sea ice horizons. Thus even in remote regions such as the Arctic Ocean, certain MP indicate the presence of localized sources. Increasing exploitation of Arctic resources will likely lead to a higher MP load in the Arctic sea ice and will enhance the release of MP in the areas of strong seasonal sea ice melt and the outflow gateways.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilka Peeken & Sebastian Primpke & Birte Beyer & Julia Gütermann & Christian Katlein & Thomas Krumpen & Melanie Bergmann & Laura Hehemann & Gunnar Gerdts, 2018. "Arctic sea ice is an important temporal sink and means of transport for microplastic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-03825-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03825-5
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Angelica Bianco & Monica Passananti, 2020. "Atmospheric Micro and Nanoplastics: An Enormous Microscopic Problem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Isabel Goßmann & Dorte Herzke & Andreas Held & Janina Schulz & Vladimir Nikiforov & Christoph Georgi & Nikolaos Evangeliou & Sabine Eckhardt & Gunnar Gerdts & Oliver Wurl & Barbara M. Scholz-Böttcher, 2023. "Occurrence and backtracking of microplastic mass loads including tire wear particles in northern Atlantic air," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Jianli Liu & Jianyao Liang & Jiannan Ding & Guangming Zhang & Xianyi Zeng & Qingbo Yang & Bo Zhu & Weidong Gao, 2021. "Microfiber pollution: an ongoing major environmental issue related to the sustainable development of textile and clothing industry," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 11240-11256, August.
    4. Claudia B. Pratesi & Maria Aparecida A. L. Santos Almeida & Geysa S. Cutrim Paz & Marcelo H. Ramos Teotonio & Lenora Gandolfi & Riccardo Pratesi & Mariana Hecht & Renata Puppin Zandonadi, 2021. "Presence and Quantification of Microplastic in Urban Tap Water: A Pre-Screening in Brasilia, Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-10, June.
    5. Qiqing Chen & Guitao Shi & Laura E. Revell & Jun Zhang & Chencheng Zuo & Danhe Wang & Eric C. Le Ru & Guangmei Wu & Denise M. Mitrano, 2023. "Long-range atmospheric transport of microplastics across the southern hemisphere," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. S. B. Cornish & H. L. Johnson & R. D. C. Mallett & J. Dörr & Y. Kostov & A. E. Richards, 2022. "Rise and fall of sea ice production in the Arctic Ocean’s ice factories," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Jun Meng & Jingfang Fan & Uma S. Bhatt & Jürgen Kurths, 2023. "Arctic weather variability and connectivity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Muhammad Ali & Husna Hayati Jarni & Adnan Aftab & Abdul Razak Ismail & Noori M. Cata Saady & Muhammad Faraz Sahito & Alireza Keshavarz & Stefan Iglauer & Mohammad Sarmadivaleh, 2020. "Nanomaterial-Based Drilling Fluids for Exploitation of Unconventional Reservoirs: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-30, July.
    9. Nada Mallah Boustani & Sana Abidib, 2023. "ESG Investing in “White Gold”: The Case of Lebanese Salinas," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-20, February.

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