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.
Highlights
Microplastics (MP) are recognized as a growing environmental hazard and have been identified as far as the remote Polar Regions, with high concentrations of microplastics in sea ice
Recent studies stress the changes caused by the shift to first year ice resulting in the tendency of sea ice floes to diverge from the main drift pattern[19] such as the Transpolar Drift, with complex effects on exchange processes of any contaminants between the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the various Arctic nations[20]
The MP concentrations of all sea ice cores were highly variable with the second highest MP concentration found in the land-fast ice of the Fram Strait (core A; (4.1 ± 2.0) × 106 N m−3)
Summary
Microplastics (MP) are recognized as a growing environmental hazard and have been identified as far as the remote Polar Regions, with high concentrations of microplastics in sea ice. It is well known that regions of the Arctic Ocean are highly polluted owing to local sources and long-range atmospheric input[12]. In this context sea ice has been identified early on as a major means of transport for various pollutants[13,14], with north and east Greenland as well as the Laptev Sea, being especially prone to contamination from several sources[15]. We analyzed the content and composition of MP from sea ice cores at five different locations along the Transpolar Drift to assess if sea ice is a sink and transport vector of MP. By computing drift trajectories, coupled to a thermodynamic ice growth model[29], possible source regions of MP entrainments during ice growth were identified
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
