For the first time, microplastics have been identified in freshly fallen snow in Antarctica, possibly speeding up the melting of snow and ice and jeopardizing the continent's unique ecosystems.
The researchers believe the microplastics, which are plastic particles smaller than a grain of rice, had previously been detected in Antarctic sea ice and surface water.
Still, Radio New Zealand said this is the first time researchers have seen microplastics in a fresh snowfall.
Alex Aves, a University of Canterbury Ph.D. student supervised by Dr. Laura Revell, published the findings in the scientific journal The Cryosphere.
Understanding that East Antarctica is not a one-uniform continental block is changing how scientists think about the tectonics of the continent.
Microplastics in Fresh Antarctic Snow
Aves collected snow samples from the Ross Ice Shelf in late 2019 to examine if microplastics have made their way from the sky to the snow, Stuff.co.nz reported. Until then, there had been few examinations into this in Antarctica.
Aves was also instructed to collect samples from the Scott Base and McMurdo Station roadways, where microplastics had already been detected, so that researchers would have at least some microplastics to look at.
Plastic particles were found in all 19 samples obtained from the Ross Ice Shelf, obviating the necessity for that precaution. Aves described the discovery of microplastics in fresh Antarctic snow as "incredibly sad," 1News reported.
Nonetheless, the recent finding highlights the reach of plastic pollution to even the furthest reaches of the globe.
The average number of microplastic particles per liter of melting snow discovered by Aves was 29. It was higher than previous marine concentrations found in the Ross Sea and Antarctic sea ice.
Near the research bases on Ross Island, Scott Base, and McMurdo Station, concentrations were nearly three times higher than in distant regions.
The most prevalent of the 13 types of plastic identified was PET, commonly used to make soft drink bottles and clothing.
Dangers of Microplastics
World Economic Forum said Microplastics could bring a variety of pollutants, including trace metals and certain organic compounds that are potentially toxic.
Once in the body, these compounds can seep off the plastic surface, raising the risk of harmful consequences. Microplastics have the potential to cause cancer due to their carcinogenic qualities. They can also be mutagenic, which means they can cause DNA damage.
Although some of the microplastics studied in this study include potentially carcinogenic and/or mutagenic chemicals, the real harm to human health is unknown.
Given the widespread presence of microplastics in homes and food and drinks, the next critical step in this study field is to determine what, if any, amounts of exposure are considered safe.
Canterbury said microplastic particles in the air could impact the climate by speeding up the melting of snow and ice on a larger scale.
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